An Angry Girl
by Kaitmiller17
Summary: Maka is the new girl at Shibusen. She hows up in the middle of the week unannounced to the other students and greets them not-so-warmly. Maka clad in a leather jacket, and with seven expulsions to back her up, means business.
1. Chapter 1

Maka sits in her bed with her arms and legs crossed.  
"Maka, get up!"  
An older version of the girl stands at her door with her foot tapping angrily.  
"No. I'm not going. School is stupid, why do I have to go there?!"  
"It's your damn fault for getting expelled! No other school would take you!"  
"I don't want to go!"  
"If you don't go to school then you no longer live here!"  
"Fine! I bet dad won't make me go to school!"  
"You wouldn't..."  
"Try me."  
"Maka Albarn! Just go to damn school!"  
"No."  
"I'll take all your books and your journals away."  
"Damn it."

Maka growls out to her mother. "I hate you."  
"I don't care. You're going to school and I swear if you get expelled again I'm sending you to a school for trouble children."  
"That's what you said last time."  
Her mother walks silently out of the room and walks back in with a pamphlet and throws it onto Maka's bed. Maka eyes the pamphlet and gives a challenging glare to her mother.  
"You're serious this time."  
"Yes. I'm going to make breakfast now. I hope you'll join me."  
She leaves the room knowing that Maka will be out soon.  
Maka grumbles as she gets off the bed. She pulls on a hot red pleated skirt and zips it up. She pulls off her Tshirt and searches in her closet for a black open-backed corset before pulling it on.  
"Mooooom."  
She comes to the open door.  
"Do me up?"  
She smiles and makes her way to Maka. She ties up the back of her top.  
"You have a bow undone."  
Maka has two black wings tattooed onto her back and where they seem to attach into her shoulders she has three piercings on each side with black bows threaded into them.  
Kami ties the black ribbon into a neat bow to match the others.  
"Thanks."  
"Breakfast is ready."  
Kami leaves again and Maka grabs her bag before joining her in the kitchen.  
Neither of them talk as Maka sits and they both eat. Kami finishes eating first and starts to wash up and when Maka finishes she goes into the bathroom to do her makeup and hair.  
She teases her strait blonde hair lightly and hairsprays it. She puts on messy black eye shadow and a thick coat of liner on the top and bottom off her eyes that come out into wings. She finishes with a thick coat of mascara and some red lipstick and she leaves the bathroom with the lipstick in hand. Kami hands her a lunch and Maka goes to put both in her bag.  
"Ready?"  
"Yeah."  
"Want a ride or-"  
"I'll take my bike."  
"Okay, I'll see you after school then and please be nice."  
"I'll try."  
She finds her leather jacket on the back of a chair in the living room and slides it on before going to the front door and pulling on her black and white combat boots. She shoulders her bag and grabs her keys before slipping out the door. Before she gets the door shut Kami calls out.  
"Maka!"  
She stops and waits for her mother to materialize in the frame. She hands Maka a piece of paper and she looks it over.  
"Your new schedule."  
"You put me in music?"  
"Sorry. I know you hate it...even though you're so good at it...but you have to have an arts course and it was the only one that wasn't full."  
"Alright, bye."  
"Bye, I love you."  
Maka turns and walks down the steps of their front porch and to her awaiting bike in the driveway. It's a crimson 67' Triumph Tiger 650 and it shines from the fresh polish Maka gave her yesterday.  
She swings a leg over its body and sits on the leather seat. She kicks up the stand as she puts in the key and turns it. She kicks starts the bike and takes off out of the driveway.  
The ride takes only 20 minutes and soon Maka is pulling into the parking lot and parking her bike. All eyes are on her as she parks and swings her leg back over the bike to get off.  
She ignores everyone and makes her way into the front doors of the school.  
She grumbles under her breath. "Shibusen...best school in DC."  
She pulls out her schedule and looks up her home room.  
"666. Really."  
She finds the stairs and walks up to the sixth floor. She gets plenty of stares as she makes her way through the people filled halls. She walks around until she finds her class and walks in. The teacher waves her over when she comes in and she walks over.  
"Maka." Stein grins to her.  
"Why am I in your class?"  
"I had an empty seat."  
"Greaat." She says sarcastically.  
"You'll sit beside the girl in the second row with the long ponytail."  
"Thanks". She doesn't smile and simply nods before going to the seat he pointed out. She walks up and takes her seat.  
The girl with the ponytail turns to Maka with a bright smile.  
"Hi! I'm Tsubaki."  
Maka turns to the girl with a stony expression. "Maka." She pulls off her jacket and hangs it on the back of her seat.  
"Where are you from?"  
"Does it matter? I'm stuck in this hell hole now."  
Tsubaki's smile falters a bit but doesn't break. "I guess it doesn't matter...but I'd like to know."  
"DC." She pulls out a notebook and a pen  
"Oh, so you're just from a different school...which one?"  
"All of them."  
"What?"  
"I've been to all seven but this one."  
Her smile finally breaks and is replaced with a look of confusion.  
Maka turns away from the girl and puts her feet up on the desk.  
Students are starting to fill up the seats faster and a guy takes the seat beside Maka. He has messy white hair and a leather jacket similar to Maka's that he lies over the back of his own chair.  
The bell rings and Stein turns in the wheeled chair he's straddling to face the class.  
"Alright, we'll start where we left off yesterday and with some practice questions."  
He rolls to the board and writes a long equation onto it.  
"Can someone solve this for me?"  
He offers out the chalk for someone to come solve the problem but no one does.  
"Hmm...let me choose a victim then."  
Maka knows what's coming before Stein even looks her way.  
"Maka."  
"I don't know how to do it."  
"One: you're lying so come solve this. Two: keep your feet off the tables."  
She glares at him in challenge but he just looks back.  
"You only have a few straws left so you might as well get it together now."  
"Fuck it. Answer's 127.8"  
"I don't want the answer. I want the solution."  
She growls out at him but slides her feet off the desk and makes her way up to the front.  
She harshly writes 127.8=x on the board and turns to Stein with her arms crossed over her chest.  
"Very funny. Write it all out."  
"Why?"  
"You're father's been dying to see you and he's just a phone call away."  
"Fuck you."  
Stein just grins as Maka turns to the board in defeat. She wipes away the answer and rewrites the entire solution.  
"Satisfied?"  
"Not yet. I want to see where your other classes were. You can just write the answers to the next ones."  
He writes out six problems even more difficult and it takes her no time at all to answer the first five. She turns back to Stein without answering the last.  
"You can't answer the last question. If you solve it you'll get negative 17.1 but it's wrong because of that root." She points to the sign before taking the chalk and writing in a +\- before it and putting the final answer as x=17.1. "But this works."  
"Excellent. Take your seat...and next time I'd like to hear more appropriate language from you. I shouldn't be as surprised as I am that you swear so much after all these years."  
She doesn't respond and walks back up and takes her seat.  
The guy beside her talks under his breath. "Bookworm."  
"And who the fuck do you think you are?"  
"Soul Eater."  
"Well, I don't give a damn what you think, Soul."  
She turns her back to him and starts to write what Stein is putting up on the board. She keeps a calm exterior as she writes but she's pissed. This day has been rough from the get go.  
A grin slides onto Soul's face as he looks over the new girl. He eyes over her long and bare legs, the skin showing between the bottom of her shirt and the top of her skirt and the tattoo and piercings covering the bare skin of her back.  
Maka doesn't even look his direction when she speaks. "Like what you see?"  
"Girls shouldn't go around dressed like that. Guys might get the wrong idea."  
"And what do you think?"  
"I'm smarter than most guys when it comes to slutty women. You're a virgin."  
Maka turns to smirk at Soul. "No I'm not, but you just as good as told me that you are." She points to him and pushes her finger to his chest; the crimson red nail poking through his orange Tshirt uncomfortably.  
Stein looks up at the two and shakes his head.  
"Maka. Back off, you can't afford to get into another fight."  
She turns from Soul and looks to the professor.  
"I wasn't going to fight him."  
"You're not fooling me. Do I need to split you two up or can you keep your temper?"  
"I'm fine."  
"Good."  
He continues the lesson but keeps an eye on Soul and Maka the rest of the class.  
Near the end of the period a red haired man comes into the class.  
Soul sees Maka's posture stiffen and she slouches down into her seat.  
"I thought you might show up, Spirit."  
"Of course."  
The bell rings and students start to pack up their books. Maka throws everything into her bag and bolts from the room amongst the other students.  
She manages to make it out and makes her way down the hall a bit before she pulls out to check her next class.  
"Music...fuck...424."  
She goes to the stairs and goes down and easily finds her class. She pulls open a heavy soundproof door and enters another hall. A couple others walk through the hall with her and they go through another soundproof door into a large room made up of boxed coral risers.  
Maka takes a seat on a riser and someone comes to stand in front of her.  
"Hi, you must be Maka, I've heard lots about you. I'm Marie, the music teacher."  
She offers her hand but Maka doesn't shake it. She pouts a bit but doesn't push it.  
"Stein's wife."  
"Yes, I need to know if you can play any instruments."  
"Anything with a string."  
"Wonderful. We're short a cellist, is that okay?"  
"Yeah. Fine."  
Marie hands Maka a folder filled with sheet music.  
"This is for you and you can use cello three."  
"Cool."  
Maka notices Soul and she looks over at him. He walks up to her.  
"Music? A bookworm like you likes music?" He has a bored expression on his face.  
"No. I hate it." She tries to keep her temper down.  
"Good. It's one less thing we have in common."  
"Like that you're a virgin? That the other one?" A sly grin decorates her lips.  
"You're wrong about that."  
"I don't believe you and lying won't help you."  
"You're a real bitch, you know that?"  
"Not used to anyone telling you off, are you? You think you're so cool and you're not used to anyone telling you otherwise."  
"So, what does that make you?"  
"You got it right the first time. I'm a bitch."  
She leaves him and goes to pull out her cello. She sets it up beside another cellist and sets her music folder on a stand. She looks around and finds Soul sitting at the piano.  
He looks up and meets her eyes and they both glare at each other before turning away.  
Everyone's set up by the time the bell rings and Marie goes right to work.  
"Alright, we'll do warm up number 3."  
Maka flips through her sheets until she finds the one Marie said and she pulls it out. The rest of the class does the same. Maka cocks her bow and waits for Marie to count them in.  
Maka draws the bow a little shakily when they start but her movements are sure by the end of the three warm-ups they do.  
"Alright. Onto O Nata Lux."  
Maka finds the sheets and look them over. The song looks fairly difficult and Maka gets an unwanted rise out of it.  
She cocks her bow and Marie counts everyone in.  
At the end of class Marie calls Maka over while everyone leaves for lunch.  
"Maka, can you stay back a minute? And Soul too?"  
"What do you want?" Maka is impassive and Soul walks up with much the same expression.  
"I want to hear you play by yourself. I couldn't really hear you with the other two cellists so I want to hear you now. And Soul is top in the class so I want him to stay back in case I need to assign him to help you out. You're two months behind after all."  
"I'd rather not. I don't need any help." She crosses her arms over her chest with the bow still in hand.  
"Spirit said you'd give me trouble." Marie sighs.  
"Shit." She growls out.  
"He said you'd do that too."  
"Why does everyone keep using him against me?!" Her hand tightens around the bow.  
"Because you're stubborn and if we can keep you in check then you won't get expelled again."  
"Expelled?!" Soul's impassive expression falters.  
"Oh shoot. Soul, you shouldn't have heard that!"  
"Why do you think I'm stuck in the hell hole? It's because I've been expelled from all the rest!"  
"Maka, Shibusen is a wonderful school." Marie chirps in.  
"This jackass has been busting my balls all day because he's upset that I have some and he doesn't AND my stupid pervert, cheating, scumbag father works here. How the hell is it wonderful?!"  
Marie looks between Soul and Maka before laughing. "I see it now. You two are really similar...no wonder you don't get along."  
"Yes. All I want to do is punch his stupid face in...and we are nothing alike!"  
"If you weren't a girl I'd already have done it myself!"  
Maka steps towards Soul and they stand chest to chest with matching glares.  
"Come on Soul, afraid to hit a girl? You're not much of a man yourself."  
"You're not even worth it, tiny tits."  
"Fight me, Eater."  
"Come at me-".  
"Albarn."  
"Oh shit. I get it now. The Vice Principal is your dad!"  
"He impregnated my mother. He is not my father."  
"Maka, don't say that. Your father loves you, give him a chance." Marie is starting to get desperate and doesn't know how to step between the two fighting teens.  
"If you leave, Marie, no one will know we're fighting."  
"I can't do that, Maka, I have to stop you. Come sit and play for me."  
Maka and Soul stand and glare for a minute before Maka relents and goes to Marie. She takes the cello she was using and sits in front of her.  
"What do you want me to play?"  
"Anything you want. Play your best song."  
"Okay." She thinks for a bit before deciding on her favourite song at the moment.  
She plays a scale and listens to the notes to get a feel for what she should play for the song. She hasn't played any instrument in over three years and so she's never played this song that's just come out only a week ago.  
She hums the first line of 'This is Gospel' before loosening her grip on the bow and starting to play. She plays intricately and beautifully both drawing notes with the bow and plucking others. Maka loses herself and doesn't notice Soul take a seat at the piano. He jumps in playing in the second chorus and their notes dance together in a dark rhythm.  
Maka and Soul draw out the last note together and look to each other.  
Something softens in them before they glare again.  
"What the hell?! I was playing and you just cut in like the douche you are!"  
"I felt like playing."  
"Well, I feel like sacking you right now! Doesn't mean I'm going to...no matter how bloody tempting it is. The perfect squeal a guy makes when you send them down is just priceless!"  
"You're sick."  
"Never grabbed a girl's ass before, virgin boy? That's sick. You walk by a guy in a bar and they think they have the right to feel you up!"  
"How old are you?"  
"18, dipshit...we're in the same grade."  
"How are you getting into bars?"  
"My womanly charms." She drawls out.  
"You have as much charm as a sack of potatoes!"  
"Fuck you, Soul!" Maka stands from her seat and puts the cello in its case with the bow.  
"Gladly."  
"God, you're such a pervert!" She clenches her fists and walks towards him.  
"You're the one dressed like a common prostitute!" He comes to meet her halfway.  
"And you damn well like it! Can't keep your eyes off my tits, despite how tiny you say they are!"  
Their faces are just inches apart as they continue to yell at each other.  
"If a girl shows a guy her junk he better take the opportunity!"  
"Fuck you!"  
"Your place or mine?!"  
"Holy shit! Can you stop?!"  
The door to the class flies open and Maka and Soul both turn towards it. Stein and Spirit come in together and Marie relaxes a bit from them coming.  
"Got your text, honey."  
"Thank you, Franken."  
Spirit looks at Maka and a weak smile comes to his lips.  
"Hi, Maka."  
"Spirit." She growls out and for the moment she forgets about Soul.  
"Take a step away from him."  
She looks back to Soul and glares but she does step back.  
"Maka, you need to stop causing fights...everyone knows what happens next. Your mother told me about-"  
"I know. I know what happens next. Everyone has the need to bring it up over and over. But Spirit, this asshole keeps coming to me, I didn't start this one."  
"Mr. Evans, you haven't been known to fight..."  
"I think that sometimes two people just don't get along."  
"Very well. I don't exactly know what to do with you two...well, let me see your schedules."  
"I don't have one."  
"Then tell me your classes."  
Maka gives Spirit her schedule and Soul says his out.  
"Home room/Math with Stein, Music with Marie, Bio with Stein, Gym with Nygus."  
"Well, we might have a small problem...you have all four classes together. I guess we'll have to tell all the teachers to keep an eye on you two."  
"No way in hell am I spending all day with him!" Maka protests loudly to Spirit.  
"I'm afraid you'll have to suck it up until next semester."  
Maka turns to glare at Soul before shouldering her bag, swinging her jacket over her other shoulder and storming out of the room.  
"I'm sorry, Soul, she's a bit of a handful."  
"I've never seen a girl like that...she's so angry at everything."  
Spirit's face turns sad and he suddenly looks old. "She wasn't always. Too many kids picked on her, her mom and I divorced when she was 12, and this is what my sweet girl turned into...I shouldn't be telling you all this but I feel like I need to excuse her behaviour."  
"Picked on for what?"  
"She's brilliant. She loves to read and things come easy to her. People didn't like it so they called her names and pushed her around. They thought she was weird because she's smart and understands more than most people. ...And Stein told me what happened this morning."  
"Oh..."  
"So, what did you call her?"  
Soul sighs out. "A bookworm."  
"She hates that one the most."  
"I'm sorry."  
"Don't be. She is what she is."  
"I'm still sorry."  
"She'll always hate you anyways. She hasn't spoken to me in six years."  
Soul doesn't say anything but looks around to the three teachers.  
"You should go to lunch, Soul."  
"A- Alright."  
Soul takes his bag and leaves as Spirit sits in a chair and covers his face with his hands.  
"What am I going to do?"  
"It's alright, Spirit, she'll figure things out." Stein reassures his friend.  
"She's about to get herself expelled from her eighth school in three years." He takes his hands from his face and looks up to Stein.  
"Fleetwood'll fix her if she doesn't get her act together."  
"I don't want her to go there if I can help it. I know she's still in there somewhere and if she goes to Fleetwood then I think they'll just get rid of all of her."  
"I think you're right but, Spirit, she can't go on like this and Kami can't either."  
"I know." He sighs and stands up again. "I just don't know what to do."  
"We'll think of something."  
"I hope so."  
The bell rings and Spirit and Stein leave.  
Maka enters her next class and immediately surveys it for Soul. She doesn't see him and she goes to sit in Stein's desk until he shows up. He comes into class and grins at Maka.  
"So, are you my test subject for today?"  
"No. Where do I sit?"  
"Same place as this morning."  
"Does that mean-"  
"You'll sit beside Soul."  
"Please don't make me sit there."  
"It's fine. His best friend is in this class so you'll have no issues with him."  
"Fine." She gets up out of his chair and goes to the seat. She puts her feet up on the desk but soon removes them after a glare from Stein.  
She hangs her jacket off her chair and takes out a notebook and pen.  
Soul comes into the room with a blue haired guy and Tsubaki, two blondes and another guy with black hair.  
Soul sits beside Maka with the blue haired guy then the black haired guy on his other side and Tsubaki sits on her other side with the two blondes beside her.  
The blue haired guy talks and laughs loudly and it takes him a while to notice Maka but he eventually does. He pushes Soul back in his chair and looks to her.  
"Hey, baby, you the new girl?"  
Maka turns to him coldly.  
"You're disgusting."  
"I heard you and Soul got into a little fight this morning. He piss you off?"  
"Black Star, stop it." Tsubaki cuts in from behind Maka.  
"Just introducing myself to her." He looks from Tsubaki and back to Maka. "Hey, I'm Black Star."  
"You're an ass." She growls back.  
"And you're feisty...and hot...how would you like to f-"  
"Black Star!" Tsubaki yells at him.  
Maka clenches her hands into fists and takes a couple deep breathes.  
"Just shut up." Maka says through clenched teeth.  
"Black Star, please stop." Soul says out.  
Maka's eyes widen and she looks to Soul.  
"What the hell?!" She looks at him in disbelief.  
"What?" He shrugs.  
"What are you doing?"  
"Nothing. He's an idiot, that's all."  
Maka shakes her head and turns to the front of the class confused and furious.  
Class goes by slowly for Maka. She copies down the notes though she already knows all of the information she's given and she's still seething by the end of it.  
She packs up her things and leaves the class but someone grabs her wrist when she tries to make her way down the hall. Black Star pulls her to the side of the hall and pushes her up against the wall with a firm hand on her hip and the other on the wall beside her head.  
"My offer's still open. If you want to have a good time just ask, I'd totally love to take you for a ride. I'll fuck you so hard you'll be bed bound for a week." He says lowly and hotly in her ears.  
He slides his hand from her hip down to her ass and gives it a generous squeeze.  
"You really are disgusting." Her knee comes up and she hits him hard.  
Black Star makes Maka's favourite noise and goes down just as Soul walks up to them.  
"Shit. What the hell, Maka?"  
"Did I make myself clear enough, Black Star?"  
He wheezes out his answer. "Yeah, loud and clear. Holy shit." He sits up while still holding his balls.  
Soul's angry glare to Maka softens a bit before he turns it onto Black Star.  
"What did you do?"  
"He grabbed my ass!"  
Soul stands for a minute before he bursts out laughing. "Bahaha! You're such- an idiot! Haha, and Maka- we totally- had this conversation- this morning!"  
Maka's shocked at first. She realizes she hasn't seen Soul smile yet and it makes him more handsome now than she already thought he was. It also makes him look sweet.  
"Okay, you asked for it, Black Star. I have no sympathy for you."  
"Fine. Whatever you think. But help me up."  
Soul takes his hand and pulls him up. He looks back to Maka and everything halts, even his breath.  
Her cheeks are flushed and she's looking down slightly. Her lips are what Soul can't look away from; they are just barely in a smile and parted slightly and if Soul weren't with her all day to get used to her permanent scowl then he wouldn't have noticed it.  
She looks up to meet his eyes and the smile disappears. She looks at him coldly and he looks away.  
Maka walks off quickly down the hall and to the nearest stairwell. She goes down six flights to the main floor and finds the gym. She goes to an office door inside and knocks.  
"Come in!"  
She opens the door and walks in to find a fit Egyptian woman sitting at a desk. She looks up to Maka and she breaks into a smile.  
"Maka!"  
"Hey, Nygus."  
"You've grown so much!"  
"I guess it's been a few years."  
"Six."  
"Yeah..."  
"Now, you need a gym uniform." She looks Maka over quickly. "Definitely a small." She gets up and opens a cupboard to pull out a white Tshirt and red bottoms. "Here, now go change."  
"Thanks, Nygus."  
"No problem."  
Nygus smiles to Maka and she nods back before going to the girl's locker room.  
Maka recognizes many of the girls now from her other classes including Tsubaki and the two blondes that were with her in bio; she later found out their names were Liz and Patti. She changes quickly and goes to the gym where Nygus is waiting with other students and Black Star is talking animatedly to Soul and the black haired kid from before.  
She keeps her distance from the trio and stands off to the side by herself.  
The bells rings and Nygus starts to talk.  
"Alright, we're doing laps and sprints for the first half of class because the newbie needs to record a time. We'll continue with soccer afterwards."  
The class follows her outside and to the track.  
"Maka, you start first and run two laps. Pace yourself though, this track is larger than average."  
"Okay." Maka goes and stands at the start line and waits for Nygus' signal. She takes off at full speed and most of the students just laugh; if you run full speed you'll never make it to the end.  
Maka runs the entire first lap and doesn't show any signs of slowing. Nygus tells everyone else to start running once Maka's finished the lap and they all start to jog behind her in an easy warm-up.  
Maka finishes her second lap at the speed she started and everyone is amazed.  
"Maka, how did you do that?" Nygus demands.  
"I run a lot." Maka says with a shrug.  
"You just beat the records for girls AND guys!"  
She just shrugs again.  
"Umm...are you ready to do a sprint now?"  
"Yeah, fine."  
"Okay...Maka, Liz, Patti, Kim, Jackie Tsubaki, Clair, and Josy go line up."  
The eight girls go to the start for the 100m and line up.  
"Ready!" Nygus pulls a start gun out and pulls the trigger from the finish line. She starts her timer and the girls take off.  
Maka quickly takes the lead and finishes way ahead of the others.  
"Great, Maka, you beat the girls' scores. You beat most of the guys too."  
"How many am I slower than?"  
"Three."  
Maka looks over to Soul and sees a huge grin on his face.  
"Alright." She plays it off coolly.  
Nygus gets everyone else to sprint except Black Star, Soul, and their black haired friend.  
"Alright, I want to see Black Star, Kid, Soul and Maka race.  
"I don't race. So not cool." Maka says dully.  
Black Star and Kid look to Soul with wide eyes while Soul looks to Maka with furrowed brows.  
"Dude, bitch took your line."  
"Not cool."  
Black Star laughs loudly at Soul and Soul elbows him to shut him up.  
"Just go, Maka, or I'll have to-"  
"Fuck, not you too! Nygus!"  
"Fine. I won't but you owe me for six years of not coming to see me."  
"Damn you." Maka growls out and crosses her arms over her chest before walking to the start line.  
Soul, Kid and Black Star line up with her.  
"I think I'll let you win, Maka, I'll enjoy the view."  
"I think your cock's telling you otherwise."  
"It still want you...despite that setback."  
"What do I have to do to get you to stop?"  
"Fuck me."  
"Not happening. Trust me, you're not my type."  
"And what's your type? "  
"Not egotistical douche bags with small dicks."  
Black Star's face turns red and Soul and Kid laugh at him.  
"So, I was right. If I'm in a relationship for sex you damn well better be able to satisfy me."  
Black Star is mortified and Soul and Kid can't stop laughing. Maka takes off as Nygus sounds the gun. She gets a head start on the guys and it's enough for her to win.  
Nygus just looks disbelievingly at Maka as the guys cross the finish.  
"What the hell?!"  
"You asked for it, Black Star."  
"You made me lose! I don't lose!"  
Maka walks to Black Star and whispers low in his ear. "You lose in more than one department, Black Star."  
His face turns red again and Maka takes a step back with a smirk on her face.  
"I give." Black Star sighs and looks down. "You're cruel."  
"I'm over it."  
Nygus throws a ball out between Maka and Black Star. "Soccer time. Maka and Black Star are the captains."  
Maka looks over to Nygus. "No way, you know-"  
"You're still captain." A knowing grin mars her lips.  
"I don't know who's any good." She protests coolly.  
"That's what makes this fun. Make the teams even for guys and girls."  
"I pick Tsubaki." Black Star starts.  
"Maka, pick a guy."  
"Kid."  
"Ragnarok."  
"Ox"  
"Harvar."  
"Kilik."  
"Jason."  
"Fire."  
"Hiro."  
"...Soul."  
"I pick Patti."  
"Liz"  
"Jackie."  
"Kim."  
"Clair."  
"Crona."  
"Josy."  
"Thunder."  
"Alright, teams are ready, let's go."  
"Maka, you start, I'm going to kick your ass anyways."  
"Eat it Black Star."  
Maka slowly takes the ball to the face off and when Nygus blows her whistle she kicks it to the closest person on her team.  
Black Star and Soul stay on each other the whole game and push and trip each other whenever the other gets the ball.  
"So, Soul. Think Maka's hot?"  
"You clearly do."  
"I didn't ask that."  
They're running down the field together now.  
"Yeah, sure, she's hot. What about it?"  
"I say we have a bet."  
"Huh?"  
"First one to bang her wins and gets to pick the other's punishment."  
"Black Star-"  
"I know you want her, virgin boy."  
"Shh. Don't just say that out loud like that!"  
"Girls line up for you, how have you not fucked them all?"  
"Black Star, shut up."  
"What's your deal, man? You are a man, right?"  
"Fine. Bet's on."  
Maka gets the ball again and Black Star is close enough to go after her. Before she can pass the ball away his takes it from her and knocks her down in the process. She falls back hard and hits her tailbone before her head.  
Nygus blows her whistle and everyone stops. Nygus runs over to Maka as she tries to get up. She winces as her tailbone grinds uncomfortably and she sits awkwardly to keep the pressure off it.  
Black Star gets to Maka the same time Nygus does.  
"Shit. I'm sorry, that was my fault. Are you okay?"  
"Yeah." She looks up at him a bit glossy eyed. "Thanks."  
Nygus kneels down in front of her. "How's your head?"  
"It's okay...my ass hurts more than anything."  
"Okay, that's good. I thought you hit it pretty hard. Now...can you stand?"  
"Yeah, of course."  
"Black Star, take an arm."  
He takes Maka's left hand in his and slips his other arm under her elbow. Nygus takes her other arm and they lift her up together. She winces again as her legs straighten out and again when Nygus and Black Star let her go.  
"Black Star, can you help her to the dispensary?"  
"Yeah."  
He slips his arm around Maka's waist and she tenses up.  
"Don't worry, I won't do anything stupid...not when you're hurt."  
She relents and puts her arm around his shoulder. Black Star leads her off but looks back to wink at Soul whose eyes widen in disbelief.  
"What was that all about?" Kid comes up to Soul and asks.  
"New bet. First one to have sex with Maka gets to pick punishment."  
"That's a new low, even for him. How'd he get you to agree?"

"I see. So, what are you going to do now?"  
"I have no idea." Soul sighs and shakes his head.  
"Are you going to try and win?"  
"She already hates me...there's no point."  
"She hates Black Star too and I have a feeling you really don't want him to win whether you do or not."  
"What's that suppose to mean?!"  
"Nothing." Kid smiles and runs off down the field were the game has resumed.

"I'm really sorry. I get competitive and I didn't mean to hit you so hard."  
"I'll be fine, I'm just sore."  
"You can barely walk! It's not fine!"  
"I've had worse."  
"Really?"  
"You probably already know I was expelled seven times..."  
"Yeah."  
"They're all from an accumulation of thing I'd done. Fighting, swearing at teachers, skipping too many classes, got arrested for a couple bar fights and it didn't take them long to realize I was underage... Anyways, the school fights and bar fights are where I got hurt. So, this is nothing. Really."  
They get to the dispensary and go in. Maka sits in a seat, wincing again, and Black Star sits beside her.  
"You don't need to stay."  
"I want to."  
"Why?"  
"Because this was my fault."  
"I'm over it."  
"I'm not."  
"Why are you being nice all of a sudden?"  
"Hormones got the best of me earlier. I was serious about you being fucking hot."  
Maka just barely flushes and her mouth opens a little in surprise.  
"Sorry-"  
"Stop saying sorry...that was actually kind of nice...in a way."  
A blonde woman walks in wearing a lab coat.  
"Hello, who might you be?"  
"Maka Albarn."  
"Oh, you're Spirit's daughter. What are you doing here then?"  
"I got hurt playing soccer and Nygus sent me here."  
"Well, I'm Medusa, the school nurse."  
She takes Maka behind a curtain and Black Star waits on the other side. She takes an X-ray and finds a couple fractures to Maka's tailbone.  
"It's going to hurt a lot tomorrow but I can't really do anything for it. Take some ibuprofen and ice it 20 minutes on, 20 off."  
"Alright."  
"You can leave then."  
The bell's already rung and Maka walks out from behind the curtain to find Black Star softly snoring in the same chair he sat in when they got there. She debates whether to leave him there or not and she eventually decides and nudges his shoulder.

"Black Star."

"Huh?"

He sits up and looks around groggily.

"You fell asleep."

"Oh…are you done then?"

"Yeah."

"What's the verdict?"

Medusa answers him. "Two tailbone fractures and a bruised head."

His eyes widen. He did it on purpose… "Shit. Holy shit, Maka I'm-"

"Stop saying sorry. That's pissing me off more than the fact that _you _did this."

"Oh…"  
"Now, do you want a ride home?"

"Really?!"

"Yeah, you stayed and waited…it's the least I can do."

"Uhh, yeah, Soul was supposed to take me to his house but I don't think he'd wait this long."

"Okay, let's go then."

They both go back to the locker rooms to change and get their stuff then meet in the hall outside. They make their way to Nygus' office.

"I'm surprised you didn't come in when I was all alone."

"I'm not that kind of man."

"You don't remember what you did to get yourself sacked earlier?"

"Sorry about that."

".."

Maka stops walking and turns to look at him. She furrows her brows then shakes her head and continues walking. They check in with Nygus then Maka leads Black Star to the parking lot outside.

Most of the cars have already left from the student parking lot and Maka's bike stands out along with Soul leaning against another.

"Hey man, thought you'd leave without me."

"Naw, you're supposed to come over."

Black Star turns to Maka. "Thanks for the offer anyways, Maka."

"No problem."

"Hey, Soul, mind if she comes too?"

"That'd be cool, what'd'ya say, Maka?"

"I'll pass. I've had enough of you two today."

"Ouch. Mean, Maka."

"No offence. I just don't like people."

She walks up to Soul and looks over his shoulder.

"However I like bikes and I like her."

"Yeah, an Ultra-"

"classic electric glide. Custom paint job and rear body."

"Yeah…you really know your stuff."

"Of course."

She takes a walk around the bike to admire it before giving a small salute and walking towards her own.

"Triumph Tiger. 60s. 650?"

"67' and yes."

"Custom paint. She's been cleaned up nicely."

"Did it all myself."

"I'm impressed."

"Don't be."

She's careful when getting onto the bike though the vibrations when she starts it hurt her tail quite a bit. She takes off out of the parking lot and towards her home.

"She's still a bitch but at least she's stopped yelling." Black Star claps Soul on the shoulder.

"Yeah."

"I'm going to lose this bet aren't I, Soul?"

"Huh?" He looks up to his friend.

"I'm going to have to forfeit."

"Why would you do that?"

"Because she's her and you're you."

"So, what?"

"Never mind…"

"Tell me."

"You're gonna fall for her."

"Very funny. I don't think anyone ever could."

"Dude, she's a hotter, meaner version of you."

Soul glares at Black Star.

"Not saying that you're not hot but she's hotter…wow, that came out so wrong."

"We are nothing alike."

"Whatever you say, bro."

"Let's get going."

"Just because you're ignoring me, doesn't mean you can ignore the fact."

"Just shut up and get on the bike, Star."

"Fine, but I'll back off if you tell me to."

Soul gets on the bike and Black Star gets on behind him before they take off out of the lot.

Maka painfully walks up the steps to her house and into the front hall.

"Maka!" Kami comes around the corner from the kitchen and into the hall. "Oh my, what happened?! Did you get into another fight?!"

"No, but my ass hurts like hell. Someone hit me during soccer and I apparently fractured my tailbone…twice."

"Did you hit them back?!"

"No."

"Oh, thank god!" She stands for a minute and assesses Maka as she walks towards her awkwardly. She suddenly starts laughing. "Oh, soccer! You were-"

"Yeah, but I managed to stay out of the way."

"So, no one's figured out how bloody terrible you are at it?"

"Except Nygus who just happens to be my gym teacher." Maka walks by her and towards the living room.

"Oh no…" Kami follows closely behind Maka.

"She hasn't said anything yet but she did make me a team captain today." She takes a seat on the couch and winces as she does so.

"Hahahaha! She would!" Kami sits across from her in a loveseat.

"My teachers are Stein, his wife…Stein again, and Nygus."

"Haha!"

"Stop laughing!"

"You'll never get expelled from this school!"

"Huh?"

"Your teachers won't let you do anything stupid, that's for sure."

"Is that a challenge?"

"You're going to boarding school if you get expelled…so do you want to make it a challenge?"

"Oh! Another thing! They all freaking know about that and they keep using it against me too!"

"I'm good at this aren't I?"

"You planned all this?!"

"Of course."

"Oh my god!"

"So, make any new friends?"

"Fuck you!"

"Hmm, that's too bad. Try again tomorrow. And maybe stop swearing at your teachers."

"Are you guys all freaking connected or something?! How do you know all this already?!"

"A mother knows."

"God!"

"So, tell me about Soul."

"Shit." She looks down furiously.

"Ooooo!"

"No. Don't ooo me. He sucks. He's the worst!"

"Talk to me!"

"First word out of his mouth was 'bookworm!' He's cocky and arrogant and he won't leave me alone. He just- god, I hate him. Stupid, prick, bastard!"

"What else?"

"He acts like he's better than everyone else and he called me a prostitute!"

"Well…"

"Mom!"

"You're clothes are a little slutty."

"How come you've never said anything before?!"

"I've never had the issue of you letting anyone close enough to poke with a ten foot pole!"

"And it's still not an issue!"

"I don't know…apparently this boy makes you madder than anyone else ever has. You usually just punch someone out and leave it at that…but here you are, having not have punched him out and being furious about him."

"I can't punch him out because you're trying to send me to that stupid school!"

"Marie says you guys are pretty heated towards each other."

"No. No more about him. He sucks." She crosses her arms over her chest and pouts.

"Fine. What do you think of Black Star?"

"He's a pervert. And a dick."

"See? You're not even close to being as worked up over him as you are about Soul!"

"Stop! No more!"

"Alright. Just Black Star. No more about Soul."

"Why are you asking me all this when you already know it all?"

"I want to hear you say it. The way you say it tells me how you feel about what happened."

"I'm done. I'm going upstairs. See you." She stands slowly from her seat and moves towards the doorway.

"One more thing."

"What's it like to see Black Star after all these years?"

"Huh?"

"You don't remember him?"

"What?!"

"Remember that little blue-haired kid you used to be friends with in kindergarten?"

"No way. That can't be him!"

"It is."

Maka covers her face with her hands. "My life sucks. Maybe I should just get myself expelled and take my chances at the boarding school."

"Then it's a challenge."

Maka leaves and goes up to her room. She throws her bag down and slams her door. She jumps onto her bed face down but cries out and curls up into a ball. Furious tears start to stream down her cheeks and she covers her face with a pillow. She bites into the fabric and lets out a long, muffled scream.


	2. Chapter 2

Maka wakes up the next morning feeling worse than yesterday.

"Holy Fuck. Hurts like hell!"

She slowly gets up into a sitting position on her bed as Kami comes into the room.

"Good, you're up! Breakfast'll be ready soon."

"This sucks. Can I stay home?"

"Nope!" She smiles brightly."

Maka growls out but eventually slides off the bed and to her closet.

She throws on some black ripped jeans and a black and red striped knit sweater that shows off her stomach and goes out to the kitchen.

"Morning, sweet pea!"

"Not helping."

"Aww, miss grumpy gills woke up on the wrong side of the fish tank this morning."

"Fuck you."

"I made pancakes!" She sings out.

Maka grumbles but takes a seat at the table. "I hate this school."

"Then you shouldn't have gotten kicked out of all the others."

"Fuck school. I should just go be a stripper or something…way easier than this bullshit."

"You're too smart to become a stripper because despite your way less than perfect attendance your marks are above average."

"So why do I have to go to school? Can't I just go on test days or something?"

"Nope. You need to make friends. I expect you to have at least one by the end of the day."

"Or what?"

"Guess you weren't in your nightstand yet today?"

Maka eyes widen and she bolts from the table while knocking her chair over in the process. She runs to her nightstand and rips open the drawer. It's empty.

"Mom! Where the hell is it?!" She stomps back out of the room with her face flushed with anger.

"Signed copies of Alice in Wonderland go for a lot. About 25 000 dollars…that should be enough money to cover your boarding school costs."

"Mom. This isn't funny. Do you know how lucky I was to find that?!"

"You better make a friend then. And why don't you make some plans to do something together too?"

"I hate you."

"I don't care."

Maka grabs her things without finishing breakfast and flies out of the house. She gets on her bike and rides to school.

"Fuck. I should just skip. Why the fuck did I come here? I should just leave…but my book. I fucking hate her." Maka growls to herself as she makes her way through the empty halls of the school. She goes to her classroom and finds it open so she takes her seat and waits with her arms crossed and her feet up on the desk. She pulls out some makeup from her bag and does up her face before throwing it all back in her bag.

20 minutes later Stein comes into class and his eyes bulge in amazement. "What are you doing here?"

"Mother is being a bitch."

"Ahh, so she did actually use that against you."

"I'm tired of being blackmailed and threatened."

"Then you should have just done everything in the first place." He takes a seat at his own desk.

"What's the point? I'm no good for anything."

"You're by far the smartest student in this school."

"What's the point of being smart when you can't stop anything from falling apart?"

"You can stop things from falling apart. You're life is falling apart right now and you have the opportunity to change it. You can start going to class and get into a good University. You could be a doctor and save lives. You could be a teacher. You could be anything and yet you choose to be this. You chose to be a rotten bitch that hates everyone and fights people for no reason. You can see I'm not the most attractive man but yet here I am married to a beautiful woman and teaching."

"I-"

"Need to stop tormenting your parents. They're trying to help you become something and all you do is blow them and everyone else off like they're nothing."

"Oh my god-!"

"You're the damn stupidest smart person I know. Stop pulling yourself down when everyone else is trying to pull you up."

"I'm not going to change."

"You don't need to. You're still you just stop hiding."

"Go to hell."

"Just talk to people."

"Will you be quiet if I do?"

"Yes."

"Fine. Maybe I'll do it. Nobody seems like they're going to leave me alone anyways."

Stein leaves Maka to her moping and starts writing something in a notepad on his desk.

Tsubaki walks into the classroom with a smile on her face.

"Good morning Tsubaki."

"Morning Stein! Morning Maka!"

"Hi Tsubaki." Maka gives a small wave and blushes slightly.

Tsubaki smiles warmly at Maka and takes her seat beside her.

"How's your tailbone? I heard you fractured it."

"It hurts but I can walk so it's alright."

"You did amazing yesterday in sprints, it was awesome."

"Thanks. You did well at soccer." Maka fumbles over the compliments but manages to hold the conversation. She'll do anything now to get her book and get everyone off her back.

Stein smirks as he writes the title of today's lesson on the board. More students file into class and take their seats and soon Soul comes in and sits beside Maka.

"Hey Tiny!"

"Seriously?"

"You're small…not a bad thing, just small."

"I hate you."

"The pleasure is all mine."

"Soul, leave her alone."

"Umm, thanks but it's okay, you don't have to defend me."

"I want to! Soul's an idiot, just like Black Star. If they don't have someone to tell them to shut up every once in a while then they get out of hand."  
"Hey!"

"What you _really_ need is a girlfriend but we won't even start on that."

"Oh, so Mr. Cool is single?"

"Maka, if you call him Mr. Cool then that makes you Mrs. Cool…ooo, not insinuated it like you're a couple…just that you guys are like male and female versions of the same person…"

Maka and Soul both turn to glare at her.

"…I'm just going to stop digging while I'm ahead."

"Good idea. I want no associations with him."

"But you guys are- never mind."

"Alright, everyone shut up, class is starting!" Stein calls from his vantage point at the front of the room.

Maka's phone buzzes in her pocket and she flips it open to find a message from an unknown number.

_"Getting cozy with Soul?"_

"Maka put your phone away."

Maka looks up to Stein and he winks at her.

_No way. No way in hell!_

"Did you just-"

"Yes."

"Oh my fuck!"

"Kami is trying her hardest now."

"I'm going to kill her." Maka growls out.

_I can't believe Stein texted me! And that! And mom gave him my number!_

Class is long and boring for Maka. She knows everything being taught in her courses and only writes notes as something to do.

When the bell rings she packs up her bag and goes to leave but Soul grabs her wrist.

"Hey, wanna walk together?"

"I can't really stop you."

"Okay, so let's go."

"O- okay."

"Why are you nervous all of a sudden?"

"I'm trying to be nice today but it's hard. It's like I forgot how."

"Follow my lead."

"Um, okay."

"What do you like to do?"

"I like bikes and I like to read and write…um, w-what do you l-like to do?"

"I like bikes and I like to play basketball and the piano."

"You're really good at it."

"You're really good at playing the cello."

"I hate it."

"Why?"

"Well, I actually stick to the violin mostly and even then I hate it. I don't understand it. They're just notes. I get songs with lyrics but I don't get music."

"Aren't words just made up of letters? Just like music is made of notes?"

"Let's just say I speak in letters not notes. I only know one language."

"Then tell me something."

"Huh?"

"A poem. Something."

"Umm…" Maka thinks in her head and throws words quickly together. "A broken melody makes the sweetest song and a broken heart sings it the loudest."

"Do you sing?"

"Yeah. I do."

"You must sing loud."

"And you sweet."

They stare into each others eyes for a moment before breaking their gazes from each other and looking away.

They reach the class and Soul pulls the door open for Maka.

"Thanks."

"See? Being nice isn't so hard."

"Strangely it's easier with you because I don't feel nervous about messing up."

"You must like me!"

"More like I still don't give a damn about you. I could tell you anything and I wouldn't care that you now because you're so insignificant to me."

"So much for being nice."

"Sorry." Maka's face turns sad.

Soul places a hand on her shoulder without thinking and stoops down a bit to look into her eyes.

"Whether you hate me or not you can keep practicing being nice on me. No hard feelings, no second meanings."

"Why?"  
"I've decided I don't hate you."

Maka opens her mouth but closes it again at a loss for words.

"You should smile more. You're too pretty to frown."

Soul leaves her there very confused and a little lost. He goes to the piano and sits on the bench and watches as Maka tries to shake her senses back to normal.

She mechanically gets out the cello and takes the same seat she had yesterday. She gets her head back to normal and goes through the songs of the day easily. She packs up the cello at the end of class and goes to leave but Soul calls out for her.

"Maka!"

"Huh?"

He walks quickly up to her.

"Come eat lunch with us today."

"Why?"

"Well, who are you going to eat lunch with now?"

"No one."

"That's why. Come on. Tsubaki'll be there."

"So?"

"You guys were talking this morning so-"

"So what? I'm talking to you right now; that doesn't mean I want anything to do with you."

"Just come. If we piss you off you can leave."

"If I come will you shut up now?"

"Yes."

"Then I'll come."

A lazy grin slides onto Soul's face and he leads the way out of the room. The two go up to the sixth floor and then up another flight of stairs.

"Thought the school only had six floors."

"It does. We eat on the roof."

"Oh. That's cool I guess."

Soul says nothing and only smirks.

Five sets of wide eyes stare at Soul and Maka when they come up to the roof together.

"How the hell-?"

"He bribed me. Told me he'd shut up if I came with him."

Tsubaki comes forwards first.

"We're glad you came. We don't like leaving people alone."

"What if they like being left alone?"

"No one does."

Maka's shocked a little but quickly composes herself.

"You're wrong."

Tsubaki sighs and shakes her head lightly.

Maka goes over to the rest of the group and they welcome her like she was always there.

"Hey…uh, how are you?" Black Star asks from under a hood of hair.

"It's fine. I told you, I've had worse."

"Sorry anyways."

"I'm over it."

"So, Maka, what do you like to do?" Liz asks bluntly.

She gives Soul a quick glance before turning back to Liz.

"I-I like bikes, r-reading and writing."

"What about things you can go out and do with other people?"

"You can bike with other people…"

"Then what else?"

She looks to Soul again and he gives her a reassuring nod.

"I-I like skating and- uh- running- and- singing."

"You and Soul are a lot alike."

"No! We're not." She grumbles out and looks down.

"Doesn't really matter if you are or not, just an observation. You're still two different people."

Maka looks back up to Liz's eyes and finds friendliness in them.

"We should all do something together. Bring the newbie along."

"I'd rather no-"

"You're not getting rid of us that easily. At least give us a chance to hang out before you decide what we are to you."

"I g-guess I could."

She looks around to find six warm smiles directed at her and she feels slightly uncomfortable. No one has ever done something like this to her.

"Maka, you look a little sick. Do you want to go for a walk?" Tsubaki asks sweetly.

"Uh- okay."

Tsubaki leaves with Maka.

"You looked a little overwhelmed."

"Yeah, I-I'm not used to so many people."

"Why are you so nervous today?"

"No reason."

"You were lashing out yesterday and now you're trying to talk to people. What happened?"

"I- I guess there's no point in lying. My mom wants me to meet people. She said I had to have a friend by the end of the day and to make some plans with them."

"So you're forcing yourself to talk to people."

"Y-yeah."

"So you don't really want to get to know any of us and if your mom didn't say anything you'd still be lashing out at everyone."

"Exactly."

"I'll come over to your house tonight if that's okay with you."

Maka stops walking and looks to Tsubaki with furrowed brows.

"B-but why?"

"I like helping others."

"I don't need your help."

"That doesn't mean you don't want it."

"Well, I don't. Leave me alone."

Maka walks off quickly down the hall and Tsubaki lets her leave. HS goes back up toe the roof and they all look at her questioningly.

"Soul. Go to her house tonight."

"Huh? Why?"

"Just do it."

"O-okay."

They bell rings and they all head off to Biology class. Maka still hasn't shown up by the time the bell rings again and Stein sighs before starting the lesson.

Maka wanders the school until she finds herself at the main office. She takes in a shaky breath before going in.

A stout lady with short hair gives Maka a warm smile.

"How can I help you?"

"Is Spirit here?"

"Yes. In his office, just go along in."

"Thanks."

Maka walks to the open door and into the office. Spirit looks up in surprise.

"What are you doing here?"

"Skipping class."

"Maka-"

"There's too many people. I can't do it. I just need a break for a bit."

"You can stay here until next period but that's it. I'll text Stein and tell him."

"Thank you."

"You look like you're trying. If you didn't I'd make you go to class."

Maka sits in one of the chairs across from Spirit and crosses her legs on the seat.

"I am trying."

"You're mother's only pushing you so hard because she loves you. She's afraid of you ruining your life."

"I know but I can't help but be angry. I'm always angry. I'm angry right now."

"You don't sound angry."

"I'm tired too. I'm angry but I'm too tired to fight or yell."

"Tell me what you're angry about."

"I hate you."

"Why?"

"You cheated on mom. You guys got divorced. I'm had no father for six years."

"Y'know your mom forgave me a long time ago for that. We fell out of love with each other. I know my methods were stupid but we would have divorced eventually. I would have still stayed your father if you had let me."

"I can't believe you."

"Kami and I are good friends. I only stopped seeing you because you wanted me to stay away but I've always kept in contact with her I've always asked her about you and I've missed you all this time."

"I wan to believe you…"

"You only go places in life if you take a chance. The first step is always the hardest but it'll get better."

"So f I start by talking to just one person I might be able to talk to more?"

"Exactly."

She determinately stands from her seat and walks towards the door with clenched fists.

"Okay. I'll do it."

"You really want that book back."

"Huh?- What bo- Oh! My book!"

"Good luck."

"Uh- thanks."

She laves the room and walks all the way back up the five flights of stairs to the sixth floor. She goes to the door and steadies her breathing before going into the class.

"Oh, Maka. I didn't think you were coming."

"Sorry I'm late. I was-"

"I know where you were. Just take a seat."

"Thank you."

She walks up the steps to her row and takes her seat between Soul and Tsubaki. She decided in that moment downstairs that she would try to befriend Tsubaki.

"Hey, Maka." Tsubaki smiles brightly to her.

"Hi Tsubaki." Maka smiles back a little nervously but with visible warmness.

"We were worried about you."

"I'm fine I just got lost a little."

Tsubaki chooses not to bring up the fact that she was half-an-hour late and lets the lie slide.

"I'm just glad you're back now."

"Umm, thanks."

Maka pulls out a notebook and starts absentmindedly writing things down.

Near the end o the class Stein retreats from the board and wheels his chair towards the students.

"We'll be having a test next Friday so you all better be prepared."

Groans emulate from around the room and Stein grins happily.

"Everything from after last test and until the end of tomorrows lecture will be on it. Class dismissed."

"Maka, what are you doing for gym today?"  
"I don't know. I guess I might sit out, I'll see what Mira says."

The girls go into the change room and throw on their gym uniforms. They go with Liz and Patty out to the gym where Soul, Kid and Black Star are already waiting.

"Nygus."

"Yes, Maka?"

"What do you want me to do today?"

"Oh, your tailbone! I forgot…you can still play soccer, right?"

"It hurts!"

"I seem to remember when you were a kid and Black Star pissed you off you still punched him out with a broken arm."

"But it took twice as long to heal after that!"

"Wait, what about me?"

"You don't remember Maka?"

"What?!"

"I only found out last night."

"Hm, I should have a picture…" She pulls out her wallet and fishes through some old pictures until she finds the one she wants.

She hands the picture to Maka and Black Star looks at it over her shoulder.

A tiny Black Star is sitting on top of Sid's shoulders with Nygus beside him waving to the camera. Stein and Spirit are beside them then Kami, Marie, a woman with short black hair and a man with black hair. Spirit has a look of fear on his face and seems to have just caught Maka. She is upside-down and her face is flustered with Spirit holding an ankle and part of the skirt of her dress. A little green cast is visible on Maka's arm and a black circle under Black Star's left eye.

"Marie? But-"

"She moved away with Azusa, the woman with the black hair, just after that picture was taken and didn't come back until a few years ago."

"I don't remember her at all."

"You didn't know her for long."

"Why haven't Black Star and I seen each other in so long either? I've seen you and Sid."

"He was visiting when that picture was taken and didn't come to live with us until high school."

"So Maka was always a bitch?"

"No. She was the most loving and caring little girl I'd ever met. She just had no tolerance for you."

"What happened?"

"That's a story for another time. Let's go, we're playing soccer again. Maka, you can just sit and watch."

The class goes outside and Nygus throws the ball out into the field.

"Same teams as yesterday. Black Star's team needs someone to sit out. Switch every time someone scores."

The game starts and Nygus goes and sits with Maka.

"So, how's life."

"It sucks."

"It'll get better."

"What's your part in my mother's plan to get me to change?"

"I'm not part of it. I'm the kind of person who just goes with what I'm given. Kami knows that so she knows I wouldn't do anything to interfere."

"So I can trust you."

"I've always been your favourite, haven't I?" She asks with a wink.

"I talked to Spirit today."

"He must have been happy."

"He was surprised, that's for sure."

"He loves you."

"I know. That's the hardest part though."

"Love is a complicated thing. Sometimes two people in love don't want the same thing."

"Huh?"

"I'll tell you a secret. I want to have a baby but Sid doesn't. It's complicated but I love him enough to wait and see if he'll change his mind. Even if he doesn't he's still enough to make me happy. But, sometimes the difference between the two is too big; sometimes their love isn't enough."

"What's your point?"

"Is the distance between you and Spirit really that big?"

"He didn't abandon you as a father, you abandoned him as a daughter but yet here he is and he still loves you."

"I think I need to go talk to Spirit."

"I think he'd like that. You can go now."

She runs to the office despite her aching tailbone and is let right into his office again.

_Spirit taught me to read. He read me all my favourite stories and that's where I found my love of literature. I learned to read and write and express myself on paper. But now all my words are trapped inside._

"Papa!"

He stands from his desk looking over Maka. Her hair is dishevelled and she's panting slightly.

"What's wrong?!"

Maka runs around the desk and jumps with new tears forming at the corners of her eyes. Spirit catches her and she hugs his waist tightly; her body shaking.

"Papa…"

"Maka?"

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be."

"I am."

"Don't worry about the past. Just worry about now. Like the fact that you're pretty face is dripping with makeup and so is my shirt."

Maka can't help but snort out a laugh. She's crying and it hurts but it feels so good. A short laugh that no one has heard in six years rings through the room.

"Feeling any better?"

"Yeah. A little."

"You better clean yourself up before you head back to class."

"Okay."

She hugs him again before leaving his office and heading to the nearest bathroom. She wipes off the smeared and trails on her face though she can do nothing about her clumped eyelashes or lack of bottom liner.

She slowly makes her way back outside where she finds the game stopped. Black Star is lined up to take a penalty shot on Soul. Just as Black Star takes the shot Soul catches a glimpse of Maka and turns to look at her with a smile. The ball goes by him and into the net.

"YAHOO!"

"So not cool." Soul and Maka say at the same time from across the field. Their eyes meet and they look away again blushing.

Maka takes her seat again beside Nygus and watches as the game continues.

"How was it?"

"I feel better."

"Well, you did just make up with someone you haven't spoken to in six years. That would be a weight off anyone's shoulders."

"But only if you meant it."

"Exactly. Which means you did. And I have a question for you."

"What?"

"Why'd you listen to me and no one else?"

"When I went home yesterday my mom knew almost everything that happened to me all day. The only things she didn't know about were the things that happened in your class. She didn't know about me getting hurt."

"Why don't you listen to Kami?"

"She's trying to force me into things. She's making me want to listen to her less and less but she using things against me so that I do what she wants. At this point is doesn't matter what she says it just matters that it comes from her mouth so I don't want to do it."

"What if you overdid everything she wants?"

"How would that help?"

"My mom and I used to fight a lot when I was a teen. I started overdoing things and it drove her insane."

"What would I do?"

"Well, if she wants you to go out with a friend go to a crazy party or something. She can't really say no. If she says you're not allowed to have a boyfriend then get a girlfriend."

"You did all these things?"

"Yupp, and more."

"I feel like you have something against my mom."

"No, I just know what it feels like to have your life controlled even though you were stupid and it's your fault they're all doing this. And I do think you'll make everything work out on your own someday."

"Thank you, Nygus."

"No problem." Nygus stands from the bleachers and cups her hands around her mouth.

"Time to go in!"

"Yahoo! The great Black Star won again!"

"You were barely even here yesterday. You went and took Maka out and were in the dispensary the whole time!"

"Don't be such a sorry loser, Soul."

"Not cool, man, not cool."

The students all go in and change then head off in separate directions to go home. Maka heads to the parking lot and to her bike. She carefully gets on her bike and takes off to her house. When she finally arrives she slips into the door and tries to go to her room as quietly as possible.

"I can hear you. Don't try and get by me."

"Fuck."

"How was your day?"

"You should already know everything about it so just leave me alone."

Kami sighs out.

"We're having chicken curry for dinner."

"I don't care."

"But it's your favourite."

"It doesn't matter." She stomps loudly up the stairs and slams her door to her room before throwing her bag onto the floor and slumping into her bed.

Soul walks through the halls until he reaches Stein's class. He walks in and finds Stein sitting alone at his desk.

"What do you need, Soul?"

"I- uh- could you tell me where Maka lives?"

"I'm not allowed to give out personal information about my students."

"Then as someone who knows her really well…could you tell me?"

"I guess I could if you put it that way."

Stein scribbles out directions on a scrap piece of paper and slides it to Soul.

"I have no responsibly to your wellbeing if you go though."

"I'll take my chances."

"Alright."

"Thanks."

"No problem."

Soul leaves and goes to his bike before taking off to Maka's house.

A soft knock comes to the door.

"Fuck off!" Maka cries.

The soft knock comes again and Maka bursts from the bed and throws the door open.

"What do you-?"

She stops mid-sentence and her mouth lies open in shock.

"W-what are you doing here?"

"I came to see you."

"Why?" She growls back while furiously wiping the drying tears from her cheeks.

"I wanted to."

"Well I don't want you here!"

"Calm down. Let's go do something."

"No."

"Please."

"No! Why would I go anywhere with you?!"

"You're mom invited me to stay for dinner. If we don't go do something then I'll stay. Which would you rather do?"

"I hate you. I really do."

"I can live with that for now."

Maka huffs but retreats into her room.

"Come in."

Soul gets in past the threshold and Maka closes the door again.

She shuffles around until she pulls a small purse from a drawer. She takes her wallet and her keys and throws them into it along with her phone.

"Let's go."

She shoulders the purse and opens her door again. Soul follows her out and then make their way to the front door.

"Where are you going?"

"For a walk."

"Play nice kitten!"

Maka's only response is a growl. She hurriedly ushers Soul out the door once they have their shoes on and starts down the steps.

"So, where do you want to go?"

"I don't."

"Then how about we actually just go for a walk."

"Fine." Maka crosses her arms and starts down the sidewalk.

Soul walks by her side.

"What's your favourite song?"

"I don't have one."

"Then what's the song that's always on your mind recently."

"The song I played yesterday in class."

"Why?"

"The words. I feel like I needed it. Like it was written for me."

"That's the first time I've seen you passionate about something."

"I'm not passionate about it!"

"There was a glow in your eyes."

"Shut up. You have no right to say anything."

"Don't I?"

"Huh?"

"Well, why are you so miserable all the time? There has to be a reason. And you say the lyrics feel like they were written for you, but we know they aren't. Doesn't that mean there's someone out there that feels the way you do? And maybe there's a few? Or a hundred?"

"What's your point?"

"Everyone has a story. You're selfish to shout yours so loudly but not hear out anyone else's."

Maka stops walking and stands with her hands clenched into fists.

"You don't know my fucking story. You weren't there! You didn't see it happen! I haven't told you a damn thing! Who are you to tell me who I am?!" She turns to face Soul and he looks back.

"Are you more than what you've shown me?!"

"Who do you think I am?!"  
"Selfish. Loud. Angry. Stupid. You're a damn bitch."

"Say them louder! I've heard them all before. Every name you could think to call me! I've heard them all! Been called them all!"

"I wasn't done yet, so shut the fuck up and listen! You never listen! You're always yelling and asking for answers but you never listen! You're beautiful! And smart! And you're the only person I know who could ever put me in my place! You're lonely but you don't know how not to be! You have an understanding of things that people spend their whole lives trying to get but you don't understand things that we were born with!"

Maka turns and runs from him. She's frustrated and crying now. He tries to catch her but can't. Her blind rampage rightfully takes her home and she goes straight to her room and ignores all comments from her mother.

Maka doesn't eat dinner that night and just curls up in her bed until sleep takes over.


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning when Maka pissily leaves the house she finds Soul sitting on her front porch.

"What the hell are you doing here?" She growls out lowly.

"I'm sorry for yesterday. I maybe yelled too much."

"Go to hell!" She clenches her fists and tries to brush past him.

Soul stops her with a gentle hand on her shoulder. "I'm serious. I just met you, I shouldn't have said all those things about you."

"Whatever. I'm over it. But you can still go to hell."

"Maka, let me make it up to you."

"You can't."

"At least let me try. Please."

"Screw off. Just leave me alone!"

"I like you. A lot. I want t be friends with you."

"You sure have a way of showing it!"

"I admit I'm an idiot and know nothing about girls."

"So, you really are Mr. Virgin-boy."

"Yeah, fine. You got me. But it's not like I could get any if I wanted to!"

"Then what's holding you back?!"

"I haven't found the right girl yet!"

"Why should that matter? It's just sex."

"Maybe to you it is, but not to me. Wouldn't be cool to pretend sex doesn't mean something. Wouldn't be cool to toy with a girl's emotions like that."

"Whatever. I'm going to school now. Bye."

Soul lets Maka go and she takes off on her bike. He gets on his own and heads off in the same direction as her.

Maka is still fuming when Soul gets into class and he almost cringes at the intensity of the glare she gives him.

"Soul, what the hell did you do?" Tsubaki stops him at the door.

"It's better not to know."

"She looks madder than she was during your first fight."

"She is. She's a lot madder."

"Well go apologize you idiot!"

"I tried already."

Tsuabki sighs and shakes her head.

"How are you friends with three girls and can still so easily piss her off?"

"I don't get any of you and she's a hundred times more complicated. At least I know Liz likes shoes, you like cooking and Patty likes giraffes. With Maka, well, she hates everything. The only personal thing I can get out of her is that she plays music but she hates it."

"Hm, sounds like someone I met a long time ago."

"I know. She's just like I was."  
"That's why you want to help her so much, isn't it?"

"You guys were there for me when I needed it. She has people too but no one can get through to her. It's like so many people have failed her that she's afraid of everyone now."

"There is no maybe. She is."

"Let's just go sit. I need to think."

"Okay."  
The two make their way from the door and take their seats on opposite sides of Maka.

"Morning, Maka."

"Mm."

"Glad it's Friday?"

"Mhm."

"Me too. Have any plans?"

"Nhn."

"We should do something together!"

"Nhn."

"Come on! It'll be fun!"

"No."

"Oh, alright then."

Tsubaki pouts dejectedly.

The rest of the day goes on quietly. Maka ignores Soul and everyone else and speaks little even when Stein asks her to answer questions in class.

She plays along in music though any small flourishes she usually adds are absent from her songs.

She sits out again in gym and Nygus leaves her alone to figure herself out.

Maka rushes when the bell rings and quickly changes and leaves before anyone has the chance to catch her.

She goes straight home and locks herself up in her room when Kami tries to talk to her.

"Maka, what do you want for dinner?"

"Not hungry."

"You haven't been eating all week, you need food."

"I'm fine."

"You're eating or so help me-!"

"Fine. Just soup or something is fine."

"Good. I'll call you down later then."

"'Kay."

Maka lies in bed for a while and starts to nod off.

"Maka!"

"Coming!"

She shakes the grogginess from her head and gets up out of bed. She goes and swings open her door and comes face to face with Soul.

She jumps back. "Holy fuck! You creep!"

"I was going to knock but you're mom called up instead and then sent me up anyways."

"Why are you here?"

"Are we going to do this every night? I'm here to see you."

"Now you've seen me, so go."

"Maka-"

"Leave."

"Give me a minute to explain why you should let me stay and talk to you."

"I'm going to regret this…but go, you have a minute."

"Thank you. I'm an idiot and I can't help what I say. I get all weird around you and the words in my head just don't come out right. You're frustratingly emotional and smart and hard to deal with. Even though you're hard to deal with, I really, really, really want to."

"Why?"

"I can't explain it. There's just something about you that I want to be a part of…geez, I told you. Words aren't coming out right."

"You can stay. Just don't piss me off. That's all you seem able to do."

"I won't piss you off."

"Come on in."

Maka steps out of the doorway and closes it when Soul steps through. She walks over and hops up onto her bed and Soul stands awkwardly in the middle of the room.

Maka shakes her head before patting the top of her bed.

"You can sit down y'know."

"Uh, yeah." He walks over and sits on the opposite end of the bed as Maka.

Maka leans back and flops onto her back.  
"So, what are we suppose to be doing?"

"I don't know. I didn't think you'd let me in to be honest."

"What do you do when you hangout with Black Star?"

"We play video game and stuff."

"Oh. I don't really have any."

"We could just talk. I mean, I don't know a whole lot about you."

"Yeah, okay."

"Again, I'm really sorry about last night. I say things I don't mean a lot…it's like verbal diarrhoea or something."

"Just stop talking about it."

"Uh, okay."

Maka turns on her side to face Soul and draws her legs up a little. Her baggy sweater has risen up a bit so her black shorts just peak out the bottom.

"What do you like that I don't already know?"

"I like tattoos."  
"I figured that. I saw yours on Wednesday, kinda."

"Do you have any?"

"Nope, though I'll probably get one eventually. Cool bike guy like me should have one."

"What would you get?"

"I don't know. It would probably end up being something stupid that I chose on a whim."

"When I picked mine I had them draw it out then I stuck it up on my wall for a few months before I went and got it done."

"Can I see it again?"

"Really?"

"Yeah, it's really cool."

"I guess."

Maka sits up and turns her back to Soul. She pulls her sweater off over her head and she clutches it to her chest.

"Hey! I didn't say strip down!"

"How else were you going to see it?!"

"I don't know! I guess I didn't realize it went so far down. I thought maybe you could just put another shirt on like the one you were wearing Wednesday!"

"Nope. You wouldn't be able to see it all. And don't get so worked up! A bra covers as much as a bathing suit."

"Doesn't matter! There's just something sexual about lace and this," he gestures to the bra despite Maka having her back turned and not being able to see him, "has a ton of it!"

"You're such a baby. If you were looking at the tattoo none of this would matter."

"I'm looking but your bra goes over the tattoo!"

"Fine then!" She moves her hand back and quickly unclips the strap.

"What the hell! Not what I meant! Put it back!"

Make sighs out heavily before doing her bra back up and pulling her sweater back over her head.

"You said you wanted to see it. Not my fault you're so immature about it."

"I can't believe you'd just take it all off like that!"

"How the hell do you think I got it on? I had to sit with no shirt on in front of a complete stranger for random hours at a time. You didn't see my tits. It's no big deal."

"Can we just change the subject…?" Soul groans with his face buried in his hands.

"Sure." Maka lies back down facing Soul. "Uh, but you have to start."

"Hm…what sports do you like?"

"Anything with a stick."

"That sounds so-"

"You're a pervert. I'm good at lacrosse and hockey and stuff like that. What about you?"

"Well, I already told you basketball but I'm good at football and I'm good at hockey and lacrosse too."

"Do you think we'll be doing them in gym at all?"

"Well, we switch sports every week so probably, though hockey would just be floor hockey or something."

"Should be fun."

"We'll get to see who's better."

"Yeah, we will." Maka narrows her eyes at Soul but there's no coldness to them and they even seem almost playful.

"So, what kind of things do you read?"

"Everything."

"Really? I find that hard to believe. Even manga?"

"Yes, even manga."

"That's, like, the slacker version of reading, I definitely can't picture you sitting down taking in a comic."

"Oh, you have so much to learn. Pick a manga, any manga."

"Boichi."

Maka leans off the edge of the bed so she can peer underneath it. She shuffles around until she pulls out all four volumes.

"Problem?"

"World Embryo."

She goes back down and swaps the manga.

"Here."

"Gunslinger Girl."  
She pulls it out after some more digging.

"That's sick."

"I assume you've read all three of these?"

"Yeah, more than once too."

"Me too."

Maka settles back onto the bed.  
"So you watch anime too?"

"A guilty pleasure." Maka purrs.

"Awesome."

"Favourite?"

"Too many."

"Watching any right now?"

"A couple. Fairy Tail whenever the hell it starts up again."

"I know right? They left it right in the middle of an arc and the next episode isn't even announced yet!"

"You watching anything else right now?"

"I shamelessly admit to watching Highschool DxD and Hyperdimension Neptunia every week when they some out."

Soul's jaw drops. "You watch DxD?! But you're a girl!"

"I bet you watch it too!"

"For the plot! Only for the plot!"

"You lie! You so don't watch it for the plot! Bet you though Gasper was a girl first time you saw him in the credits too!"

"You too!"

"No! I knew a cross dresser was coming. I could feel it. And they purposely didn't say the gender the episode before!"

"You're too damn smart! No fair!"

Maka starts laughing and rolls over to her back.

"Totally for the plot."

"Bahaha!"

"Stop laughing! You watch it too!"

"_I want to be the Harem King! And fondle Rias's tits!_ Hahahaha! I can sooooo picture you as Issei!"

"No! Not cool! But you could totally be Koneko!"

"Haha, I can see that!" Maka has a couple tears rolling from her eyes and she's clutching her stomach. "Stop making me laugh! It hurts!"

Soul stops suddenly and stares to Maka.

"Maka-"

She calms down and wipes her face as she looks up at him.

"You're laughing…like, really laughing."

"I guess I am. It's weird, huh?"

"It is. But it makes you look prettier- damn it. Words just seem to come out on their own so-"

"Thank you."

"I- y- you're welcome."

Soul slumps down onto the bed beside Maka and lets out a heavy breathe.

"Maybe we could get together and watch it together on Sunday."

"I guess we could. I'm gonna be watching it anyways."

"So, wanna watch it here or at my house?"

"Uh, wherever. You pick."

"Come over to my place then? I'll come pick you up."

"Okay. That works."

"Cool."

They lie in silence for awhile until they both turn to face each other at the same time.

"Still hate me?"

"No. I don't think so."

"Good. It would suck if you did."

Soul and Maka continue to talk late into the night. Kami comes to the door a few times the check on them and leaves again with a smile every time when she hears soft talking and light laughter.

The two grow tired and keep talking through yawns and droopy eyes and soon they fall asleep facing each other from opposite ends of the bed.


	4. Chapter 4

Maka wakes up feeling better than she has all week. _Hmm. It's Saturday. It's gotta be or my alarm would have gone off. Saturdays are great. No school. No people. But I'm kinda starting to get used to the people there. Like Soul. I think I can almost get along with him now. Almost._

Maka stretches and opens up her eyes to find Soul sprawled out at the other end of her bed.

"What the fuck?!"

She stumbles back and falls right off the edge of the bed. She tries to protect her tailbone from getting hit but ends hitting her face off of her nightstand instead.

"_Buck. Buck. Buck. Bis bucks."_ She covers her face in attempt to stop the now pouring blood from dripping all over the place.  
"Maka?"

She hurries to the bathroom and gets her face over the sink.

Soul comes in right after her trying to shake the sleep from his system.

"What the hell happened to you?"

"I bell."

"How?"

"Bwell, subone wad in my bed dis moning and it scared da hell out of me. I bell out of bed. An why were you in my bed dis moning?!"

"I guess I just fell asleep."

She tries to growl but just ends up coughing up blood.

"Just worry about your nose for now!"

"Buck you!"

Soul shakes his head and grabs a wad of toilet paper and gives it to Maka. She puts it on her nose and pinches the bridge of it.

"Hm, we're lively this morning. What happened?"

"Morning Kami. Um, she fell off the bed."

"I bwame him! And you! You lep hib sdeep in my bed!"

"I wasn't gonna wake him up and send him home! Plus you guys looked so sweet."

"Bom!"

"Hey, don't tip your head back, it's bad for you. You've had enough bloody and broken noses that you should be able to get that right by now."

"It bakes it stop bweeding faster."

"And then you swallow all the blood. Which is gross."

"Bwhatever."

"Check it."

Maka pulls the wad away from her nose and holds it just underneath for a minute.

"Okay, I think I'm good."

"Good, now you two come eat breakfast. You, missy, skipped dinner again last night."

"Soul came! And you said you would call me to come eat."

"I know…I think I was too caught up in the fact that you let someone it your room."

Maka grumbles with her arms crossed over her chest but follows Kami out of the bathroom and down the stairs with Soul right behind.

"I made waffles and I made a lot so you two each as much as you want."

Maka sits and Soul takes the seat beside her.  
"Thank you for having me."

"Don't worry about it. It's good to have company every once in a while. Ehem."

Maka narrows her eyes at her mom. "We get it. I have no friends."

"I'm your friend."

"No your not."

"Maka!"

"Well, he's not. He's gotten to 'I don't hate you,' but that's it."

"Well, it's better than nothing I guess."

"I may not be your friend but your mine."

"Idiot."

Kami smiles as she takes her own seat and the three start to eat.

"So, what are you guys up to today?"

"Nothing."

"Maka, don't be so cold."

"I actually have to go do something this afternoon, so-"

"What is it?"

"Something with my family."

"Oh, sounds like fun. We should do something tonight together, Maka!"

"No."

"You're no fun at all." Kami pouts dejectedly.

"Whatever."

"So, are you still coming over tomorrow?"

"Yeah. When? Mom, stop jumping, you looks stupid."

"How about noon?"

"It's not 'til seven."

"We could do other stuff first."

"Sure. Okay."

"Awesome." Soul grins widely at Maka and a tiny smile breaks onto her face.

Kami gets up and takes her plate into the kitchen.

"I have to get going soon or my parents'll flip out. We have to leave at certain time and if I'm not home getting ready-"

"Yeah, it's okay. I'll see you tomorrow."

Maka and Soul stand at the same time and grabs their plate. They silently take them into the kitchen and Maka walks Soul to the door.

"Bye, I guess."

"Yeah. Uh…"

"Um, am I allowed to hug you?"

Maka flushes. "No…but I wouldn't hit you or anything if you did…"

Soul takes a step to her and draws her into his chest. She stands slightly rigidly but endures it.

"Bye."

"B-bye."

Soul pulls back again and gives an awkward wave before leaving.

Maka leans her back against the wall and looks up at the ceiling with a heavy sigh.

"So, what is he to you?"

Maka doesn't react. She continues staring at the ceiling.

"I don't know."

"But you like him."

"He's different."

"Here."

Maka rolls her head to the side and looks to Kami who's holding a small worn book in her hand. A smile breaks across her face and she eagerly goes to take it from here but Kami holds it away from her.

"Wait a second. You have to promise me you're going to keep trying."

"Yeah. I promise."

"Good."

Kami lets Maka take the book and she smiles as she watches her daughter scurry up the stairs.

_You look happier with him. I wish I could have helped you but I'm glad at least someone could. I'm so glad you met him._

She walks back into the kitchen and starts washing the dishes.

Maka puts her book back in its rightful place in her nightstand which she notices has a smear of blood on it.

She looks over to her bed and to the creases in the comforter that serve as evidence to last night's events.

"What the hell am I doing?"

I tiny black cat falls over onto Maka's feet.

"Oh, hey Blair! Didn't see you there."

She picks up the cat and cuddles her in her arms. Blair rubs her face on Maka's and Maka takes her to sit on the bed with.

"You never sleep with me anymore. You used to all the time. Where do you sleep now?"

Blair buries her face into the crook of Maka's elbow and soon starts to snore. Maka continues to stroke her back and she lies down on her side. It isn't long before Maka falls asleep with her.

Soul buttons up his shirt and grabs his jacket and tie before making his way down the stairs.

"Can't you flatten your hair down more?" A tall blonde woman asks.

"No, this is the way it goes."

"Soul. Today is very important to your brother."

"I know, mother."

His brother, Wes, gives him a sympathetic look from behind her as he fixes his own tie.

"If you were in concerts like your brother you'd understand better."

"Well, I'm not."

"Soul. Watch your tongue."

"Sorry."

"Let's go. Your father is already waiting in the car."

The three leave the house. Soul holding a grimace, his mother holding her purse and Wes holding a small black case.

AN: Thanks for all the reviews. I actually wasn't expecting anyone to like this story as much you guys all do...it kinda caught me off guard. Anyways, I'd like to know what people want and I'll take suggestions, this is the first story I've written that I haven't had a clear-cut plan of what I was going to do so I'm willing to bed for the readers. :)


	5. Chapter 5

Maka wakes up and stretches before turning her head to peer at her clock.

"Why the fuck am I wide awake at two in the morning?"

Little feet knead into her stomach. She gentle moves Blair off of her and sits up.

"I can't believe I slept all day…what the hell…? I guess I should do homework or something…something productive…I did waste a whole day after all."

Maka flicks on her lamp and sits quietly for a minute.

"No, I'll go for a run. I haven't been in a while." _Which means I haven't been angry in a while…well, angry enough to run until I puke._

She quickly throws on a pair of spandex shorts a sports bra and a baggy tank-top before grabbing her Ipod and slipping silently out the back door. She goes around to the front and takes off at a quick jog down the sidewalk.

She runs her regular route to her regular list of songs. She finds the music can't keep up with her own pace. It's too slow.

She makes it back to her house and decides to run the route again; something she does quite often, sometimes even multiple times a day.

She's still not satisfied after a third round and keeps going. Her lungs are burning but the feeling is addicting. The adrenaline rushing through her veins is like a cold shower after the blistering heat of an August day in the desert.

She starts sprinting even faster and her long blonde hair that usually hangs loosely in front to her hips whips behind her almost like a cape.

She's grinning widely and she has the urge to stick her arms out and spin but she just keeps running forwards.

A single black car drives by her that night but it goes unnoticed to the girl.

"Tonight went splendidly. Wes, you were impeccable. Soul…you behaved."

"When are you ever going to pursue music seriously?" An older man, Mr. Evans, asks.

"I don't know. What if I don't ever want to?"  
"That would be silly, you can't break tradition like that. Your father plays the cello, I play the piano and your brother plays the violin…you have to play something, it's in your blood."

"You don't like my playing anyways."

"You just need to practice more, which you never do. If you'd just do like we ask then you'd be wonderful."

Soul doesn't respond. He watches out the window as they continue to make their way home.

His mother sighs from the front seat and Soul knows she's shaking her head even without looking.

Soul spots a flash of blonde in a streetlight and can't help but smile when he recognizes the figure.

Wes nudges Soul's foot and when he looks over he mouths out 'what are you smiling about?'

Soul just shakes his head and turns back to the window. Maka has already disappeared and his smile falters a little.

"Oh, I'm having a friend over tomorrow."

"Are you? You didn't ask."

"Uh, I'm asking now then. Can I have a friend over tomorrow?"

"Who?"

"Uh, a new friend, she, uh- she just started at our school this week."

"And you're already harassing the poor girl?"

"Mother, I'm not harassing her." _Well, if you asked her that she's say yes…_

"Fine. Don't make a mess and no sex in my house."

Soul's mouth gapes open slightly before he recovers. "She'd rather kill me than-"

Wes burst out laughing. "You liiiiike her!"

"I do not! We're just friends…"

"How many days have you known her and you're already-"

"Shut the hell up!"

"Ooo, defensive are we?"  
"Boys! Quit fighting. It's childish."

They both quiet down but Wes keep sending Soul meaningful glances which he responds back to with cold glares.

Soul goes straight to his room when he gets home and locks the door. He shoots a quick text to Black Star which he doesn't expect to get a response to until the morning and he starts getting undressed. He ignores Wes when he comes and knocks on his door and despite the countless thoughts running through his head he finally falls asleep.

Maka returns home after a fifth round and slips back in through the back door. Blair greets her and rubs between her legs.

"What with all the attention lately? Come on!"

Maka pats her thighs and Blair jumps up into her arms.

"Who's a good girl?" She coddles.

Blair starts purring and curls up against Maka's chest.

"Mommy has to go take a shower now. I stink. Really bad. You want to come too?"

Maka carries Blair up the stairs with her and sets her on her bed as she grabs a clean set of clothes and a towel. She opens up and arm and Blair jumps back to her.

She goes into her bathroom and sets everything on the counter including Blair and starts up the water.

She doesn't bother closing the door and she strips down before stepping into the hot water. She hears padded feet hit the floor before a small head pops into the shower stall. Blair comes all the way in and starts sloshing through the water.

"I swear you're a dog disguised as a cat."

She takes her time in the shower relishing the feeling of the water running over her skin.

She gets out of the shower and throws on her clean clothes and Blair follows her back to her room.

She flicks the light on.

"Fuck! What the fucking hell?!"

"Did I scare you?"

"Fuck! Why do be keep showing up in my bed?!"

"The shower woke me up."

"What do you want?"

"Hm. Blair hasn't taken a shower with you in a while…"

"What. Do. You. Want?"

"I want to help you get ready for your date."  
"Not a date."

"When two people like each other and they go-"

"We don't like each other."

"I still want to help you get ready."

"No."

"Then I'll sit here and watch. And you're meeting his parents I don't want you looking like some delinquent."

"I am a delinquent."

"Parents are assholes. If they don't like you they can tell him he can't be with you."  
"So I should make the worst impression possible so he'll finally have to leave me alone?"

"Maka. I heard you guys in here the other night. You were having fun."  
"Doesn't matter."

Kami sighs and slumps back onto Maka's pillow.

"Please just hide the tattoo for now."

"Fine. I'll do that."

"Good."

"You know it's still only like five in the morning right? I'm not getting ready now."

"I know."

"So…"

"I'm going back to bed for a few hours."

"Okay."

Kami gets up and strolls happily out of the room.

"You're like fucking Snow White in the mornings."

"I assume you haven't looked in the mirror for awhile?" She calls as she retreats down the hall.

Maka furrows her brows and goes into her closet where a full-length mirror hangs on the inside of the door.

Her nose has a dark purple bruise on the bridge and the purple continues just to the inner corners of her eyes.

"Great. I look awful. How does she expect me not to look like a delinquent with this stupid thing?"

Blair nudges the side of her leg.

"I love you too, Blair."

Maka takes a seat on her bed and winces.

"Maybe a run wasn't the best idea considering my ass hurts like a bitch now."

Blair jumps up unto the bead and leans against Maka's hip.

"Seriously, what's up with you lately?"

Maka pets Blair and the cat starts to purr and cuddle into Maka.

"What should I wear today? Hmm…I guess I should wear a skirt…or shorts? And Soul's picking me up so we'll be on his bike so I'll wear my jacket…but I should look nice…Its warm out too so what about that red tank-top with the tassels at the bottom? Yeah, that works. I'll look good in that." _ Oh god! Why do I care so much?!_

Maka flushes brightly and squirms awkwardly at her thoughts.

She shakes her head and starts getting dressed. She pulls on some high-wasted black shorts and the red top. She tucks the top of the shirt into her shorts but lets the fringes at the back hang loose.

Maka sits back on her bed and pulls out a book. She starts to read and quickly finds she's too anxious to do so.

She growls frustrated and lazily throws the book onto her nightstand.

"Blair, what should I do? Watch a movie? I could do that. It would distract me. Distract…?"

She sighs and goes to her overstuffed bookshelf to look through her movies. She sifts through them before pulling one off and putting it into the DVD player of her small TV.

She lies on her stomach and leans her chin on her arms. Blair curls up in the small of her back and she watches the movie.

Soul wakes up and rolls over groggily in bed. He checks his alarm clock and it reads '11:04.'

"Ugh, I should still be asleep…Oh, shit! No, I have to pick Maka up at 12!"

He's wide awake now and rushing to get ready.

"I have to shower and eat and she lives like 25 minutes away…shit, fuck, balls!"

He grabs a towel and showers quickly before rushing back into to his room to get dressed. Wes comes in with him.

"So, getting all ready for your date?"

"Not a date. Just a friend."

"Then why are you searching through your closet like a madman trying to find something to wear?"

"I'm late."

"Then it wouldn't matter what you wear but you want to look good."

"Well, yeah, I have a reputation to uphold."

Wes sighs and comes to stand beside him in the closet.

"Black jeans and that shirt." He points to a red Tshirt with a small soul as a crest.

"That's the same as I always wear though-"

"So you do like her?"

"No!"

"If you like her- not saying you do- and you want to impress her- not saying you do, then wear something that would match her. Don't go overboard."

"Well, that shirt would match her…and the jeans too…and I'd wear my jacket…"

"Mom's going to throw a fit."

"Why?"

"She's just like you."

"Oh no. She's way worse."

Wes grins. "Perfect."

"Thanks, Wes."

"Get dressed and hurry. Girls hate it when guys are late."

Wes leaves and Soul shuts the door before throwing on the jeans and Tshirt. He grabs his jacket off the post of his bed and brushes his teeth before going downstairs and eating a breakfast bar.

He's out the door with just enough time to get there but he finds himself speeding a bit anyways.

He arrives in only twenty minutes and parks quickly before rushing up the steps and ringing the doorbell.

Kami answers the door with a bright smile.

"Morning, Soul. Come in, I'll call her down."

"Morning, thank you." He nods with a smile.

Kami walks through the hall to the bottom of the stairs and calls up to Maka.

She comes down a minute later holding her jacket over her shoulder and with Blair perched on the other.

"M-morning, Soul."

"Good morning, Maka. Ready to go?"

"Yeah." She nods.

"Then-"

"Yeah." She leans her head against Blair and puts her arms out in front of her. "You can't come. Sorry."

The cat hops down into her arms and Maka sets her softly onto the floor. She slips her jacket and boots on and follows Soul out of the house to his awaiting bike.

Soul holds his hand out to help Maka onto the bike.

She smirks as she ignores his hand and swings her leg over the body.

"I should have figured…"

He gets onto the bike in front of her and turns it on. She slips her arms around his waist and holds on until they've left and picked up speed. She lets go and leans back as they make their way through the streets of DC.

They eventually arrive at a gated community and get let in by a man at an operating booth. They drive a little further to a large white home and Soul parks the bike in the large driveway.

As he stops Maka leans forwards into his back for just a second before righting herself.

They both get off the bike and Soul leads Maka into the house, quietly through the halls and down to the basement.

The basement is finished with several rooms including a lounge/billiard area and a music studio. Soul takes Maka past the studio and to the lounge. He sits on the couch and Maka takes a seat across from him in a loveseat.

"So, what do you want to do?"  
"Uh, I don't know. You're the one who wanted me to come over early."

"Uh, yeah. Do you like pool?"

"I've never played."

"Do you want to play?"

"Sure- yeah."

They both get up and go over to the pool table. Soul takes the cover off before grabbing two queues and handing one to Maka. He sets up the balls and is at a loss of what to do next.

"You're going to have to show me how to do it."

Maka's sassy attitude is back and it makes Soul feel more comfortable.

"Yeah, want me to go first then and you can watch?"

"Yeah."

"Do you know the rules?"

"Yeah. I do."

"Okay. Don't worry, I'll be gentle considering it's your first time."

"You do realize-"

"Yeah, I could have worded that better."

A cocky grin plays on Maka's lips as she gestures to the table with her chin.

"Just go before your mouth gets the better of you."

"Good idea."

Soul lines up behind the white ball and shoots it off. The break is clean but no balls go it.

"You're turn."

Maka goes around the table to where she can reach the white ball and scopes out a target. She holds the queue awkwardly but firmly and Soul shakes his head.

"You're holding it wrong."

"Yeah, it feels weird."

"Want help?"

"Uh, yeah."

He walks over to her and scratches the back of his head. He stands behind her and puts his arms around and over hers, taking her hands in his.

Maka flushes. _Shit._

Soul adjusts the queue in Maka's hands.

"Yeah, you hold it like this." His voice is low and hot in her ear. "And you pull it back like this…" His hand slides back against her hip. "And then you shoot."

Soul backs away from her and walks back to the front of the table. He sees her cheeks are a light rosy pink and he smiles lightly.

"Th-thanks. I think I got it."

She looks down in order to ignore Soul and she focuses on the task at hand.

She draws back the queue then pops it forwards. The white ball knocks first with a striped ball and it goes hurtling towards a pocket. Soul grins as it misses and bounces back across the table. His grin fades when he sees Maka smiling. The ball continues and hits another striped ball. Both knock off into separate pockets and Soul looks at Maka with wide eyes.

"What the hell was that?! I though you've never played before!"

"I haven't but I'm smart, remember?"

"I can't believe that just happened...you couldn't even hold the queue right!"

"Guess I had a good teacher."

"God damn it."

"Watch your language in my house Mr. Evans."

Soul jumps and turns around to come eye-to-eye with his mother.

"Mother-"

"-Evans?"

Soul's caught between the two but decides to attend to his mother.

"You shouldn't be swearing in front of a woman. It's disrespectful."

"Sorry."

"I came down to meet her. You seem to have tried to slip by me."

"We just came down. I didn't think about it."

Mrs. Evans walks by Soul and straight to Maka.

"I'm Jazmine Evans." She offers her hand to Maka. "You can call me Jazmine."

Maka shakes her hand firmly. "Maka Albarn."

"It's lovely to meet you."

"You as well."

Jazmine acts kind but Soul knows that she is testing Maka.

"What do you like to do, Maka?"

_Don't say anything delinquentish. Be sweet? I guess. And smart._

"I like to read and write."

"What about music?"

Soul cringes. _Family tradition. She's testing Maka as if I'm going to marry her._

"What specifically?"

"Do you play and instruments?"

"Yes. I can play any string instruments."

"What's your preference?"

"The violin."

"Soul, we'll have to get your brother down here to test her out."

"Mother, she didn't come to play, she came to hang out, that's it."

Jazmine sighs. "I didn't ask you, Soul. Please don't speak unless spoken to."

"I-I don't mind…if you want me to play."

Soul slumps his shoulders is defeat. _She'll never make it out of this one._

"Wonderful. Soul, go fetch your brother."

"Yes, mother."

Soul reluctantly leaves the two women alone together and hurries to find Wes.

"So, Maka, what are your intentions with my son?"

Maka sputters and her eyes widen to large orbs. "W-what do you mean?"

"What is he to you?"  
"Well, we just met…he's not really anything to me yet."

"But you're here."

"Soul can be pretty persistent. I don't think I could have said no."

"Harassing you was he?"

"N-no! Nothing like that. I'm just reserved…well, I don't go out a lot.

"Seriously, is he doing anything or saying anything to harm you?"

"Oh god, no! The opposite actually. He's really nice."

"I see."

"He's a great person." She doesn't know why but she feels the need to defend him.

Soul comes back down.

"Wes is coming now."

"Excellent. Make, come with me."

"Okay."

All three head into the studio and Wes joins them only minutes later.

"Mother, it's a bit early for an interrogation?"

"She said she plays, I'm curious."

Wes beelines for Maka before taking her hand and giving her knuckles a soft kiss.

"You're quite lovely. My name is Wes Evans."

"M-Maka Albarn."

"Hm, you play the violin…what do you play exactly?"

Maka thinks she can hear a groan come from Soul but it's so quite she isn't sure.  
"Anything. I play everything."

"Then we'll have to have mother pick a song."

"I have one in mind." She goes to a shelf of binders and pulls one out from the middle. She sifts through it until she comes across the one she wants. She takes the pages out and brings them over to Maka.

"Can you play this?"

Maka looks over the sheets quickly. "I should be able to."

"You don't know the song? You can have a minute to practice before you go with Wes."

"I'll be fine."

Jazmine gives Maka a questioning glance before going off and returning with two small cases. Wes takes one and takes out the violin and Maka takes the other as Jazmine places the sheets onto a stand.

"Are you sure you're ready?"

"Yes."

"Do you prefer the bass or the treble?"

"Whichever."

"Take the treble then."

"Alright."

Maka looks to Soul and gives him a sweet smile though it does very little to his dejected gaze.

"Alright, I'll count us in then?"

"Yeah."

Wes counts and they start together in smooth notes. When Maka doesn't know a song and plays off the sheet she doesn't make any alterations to the song; something she hates and finds boring and tedious. She does this now and plays the piece exactly as shown. When she and Wes finish she lowers the violin and pouts a little though no one notices but Soul. For the first time since his mothers uncomfortable presence Soul smiles.

"That was brilliant, Maka. Soul could learn a thing or two from your demeanour."

"Oh, I don't think so. He's exceptional."

"Well..."

There's an awkward pause in the room.

"Well, I need to go do some things so I'll leave you two alone."

Jazmine leaves with Wes at her side and they begin their retreat up the stairs.

Maka goes immediately to Soul and falls to her knees in front of where he sits on a short stool. She wraps her arms around his waist and hugs him tightly.

"I'm sorry."

"No, I shouldn't have brought you here. I didn't even think about if something like this would happen. _I'm_ sorry."

Maka squeezes him even tighter before starting to speak quickly and lowly.

"I guess I've always been picked on a little. People liked me because I was nice but they would make fun of how smart I was and how dorky and ugly I was. Every grade got worse because marks would matter more and more and I was always the smartest. People got mad if they got an answer wrong and I got it right without even trying. It was hard to hear that the only thing I was good at was hurting everyone else around me. The next thing that happened was my parents fighting all the time, which I hated and I would hide in my room and cry every time it happened. Then my dad cheated on my mom and they got divorced. People started harassing me for that too. They'd tell me that I was disgusting because I was the daughter of him and I hated him for the longest time for it. They said I would be like him; that I was like him. They started to say I was smart because I cheated. I had no friends and no father and my mother was having a hard time with me too. I was sad for a while and then I really angry. I started finding things to fight my anger out on and it got me into a lot of trouble…and still is. I'm still angry though. I've been expelled seven times and it's not enough. I've been beaten senseless and beaten people senseless. I've yelled and cried and drank until I couldn't feel my toes. I've smoked weed and other things I'd rather not mention. Nothing's ever enough… Don't be sorry. I wasn't hurt today. You were. The only thing that happened to me was that I had to see what happened to you…now you know what happened to me…so, we're even…"

Soul wraps his arms around Maka's shoulders.

"You dummy. You're crying. You didn't have to tell me all that because you felt guilty about knowing all this."

"Huh?"

"You are."

"Oh, I guess I am."

Soul slips off of the stool and onto the floor with Maka. He hugs her tightly.

"What else happened to you?"  
"Huh?"  
"That's not enough to make someone as strong as you cry. What else happened?"

"I…"

"My family is pretty rich. I get cool things and get to do what I want but I don't really give a damn about it. I don't care about material things. I'd be happy if I just had a family who was there for me. I play piano and my brother plays the violin. He can play a song perfectly and he plays them in concerts and shows all the time. My family sees me as a failure because I can't seem to play it the same as on the sheet. I always have to add, or change something. I have to make it mine. I'm always compared to Wes and I don't hold up to his excellence. I've thought of running away before but I realized that I want to run away to get the attention but that they'll really just treat me worse afterwards."

"That's why you told me your last name was Eater when we first met."

"Exactly. Now what hurt you so badly?"

"I- I'm not a virgin…but I lied about having sex all the time. I've come back before from being drunk or stoned and something didn't feel right. I'd be somewhere I didn't recognize and I wouldn't be wearing anything. Sometimes I could tell if they'd- d- done it with me but other times I didn't think they had. I had bruises and I could still feel their hands on me. The worst part is that I don't know if I was forced or not. The bruises tell me there's a chance I tried to fight back but maybe they were just rough. I'd keep going out to drink away the pain but it would happen again. I'd drill it in my head to be good no matter what but I'd end up somewhere anyways."

"Now you're crying again and ruining your makeup that you worked so hard on for me."

Maka snorts out a laugh.

"Yeah right, asshole, why would I do this for you? I do it for myself."

Maka looks up from Soul's tear-soaked Tshirt and into his eyes.

"You have the most amazing eyes."

"You say stupid things."

"Doesn't mean they aren't true."

Maka flushes and pulls away a bit and Soul sighs.

"Alright, can you do something for me?"

"What?"

"Well, you told me the other day that you don't understand music without words."

"Yeah."

"You didn't get the song you played today."

"Not at all."

"Play me your song again."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Just trust me."

"O-okay."

Maka grabs the violin back out of its case and sits casually on the floor with her legs crossed.

"Now, that's a beautiful violinist."

"Huh?!"

"Not uptight like there's a chip in your ass and you're trying not to break it."

"You're an idiot. I'm fine. Quit trying to make me laugh."

"Maka…"

"What?"

"Your face."

"Very subtle."

Soul goes kneels in front of Maka and wipes at the bridge of her nose.

"You tried to cover this up."

"It was gross looking."

"It looks like it hurts."

"It's not that bad."

Soul realizes how close he is and backs away a bit before sitting and crossing his legs facing Maka.

"Why the same song again?"

"I want you to sing it this time."

"I-I guess I could."

Maka sits for a few seconds before pulling up the violin onto her shoulder. She starts plucking out notes and closes her eyes as she sings sweetly and starts to draw the bow.

She sings the chorus with so much emotion Soul feels a shiver go down his spine.

"If you love me let me go  
If you love me let me go  
'Cause these words are knives that often leave scars  
The fear of falling apart  
And truth be told, I never was yours  
The fear, the fear of falling apart"

Her voice cracks and a tear slips. She pushes on in the song and brushes off her emotions as best as she can. A tear hits the top of the violin and another on the slick strings of the bow.

The song ends in a flourish and Maka takes a few laboured breathes as she dabs her face.

Soul gives her time before he speaks.

"What made you cry?"

"The words."

"Do you know what made me sad?"

"What?"

"The way you said them. You could have spoken any words in that same voice and it would have made me sad."

Maka finally turns to meet his eyes.

"You don't need words. Sometimes you just need a look or a touch. A hitch of breath in the right place."

Soul leans towards Maka.

"A smile."

Maka turns away and blushes.

"I told you I don't understand if there are no words."

"Just listen to this."

Soul takes Maka's hand and helps her up. He leads her over to the piano and they both sit down on the bench together.

He takes a breath as he sets his fingers lightly on the keys. He plays a dark, haunting melody that creeps through the room.

Maka closes her eyes and listens to the notes. She tries to find a pattern. She wants something to grasp onto. She wants something concrete.

She thinks about Soul's earlier words and something in her head just clicks. The dark tune flows through her in a wave. It attacks her all at once and feels almost suffocating in it's blackness.

She realises something even later. Just like her song wasn't just a song this isn't either. Maka cried over the words that held a mirror to her feelings for the world and she knows that this song must hold a mirror to someone…to Soul.

Everything makes sense to her now. Every odd look and cruel remark. Every change in attitude. She understands him now. _There's someone else the words were written for._

"Soul-"

Small hops start into the song. Moments of light in the darkness.

They come into existence only long enough to fade out with the end of the song.

"I get it."

"I'm glad."

"No, I mean, I _really_ get it."

"Just like I got yours."

They stare. Unmoving. Barely breathing. There's no words. Only a look. A touch. Maka's breath hitches. Soul smiles. They both gravitate towards each other to where their noses almost brush. To where their breath mingles and they can see every detail in the other's eyes.

Maka feels a flutter in her chest and Soul's gut twists.

Maka turns away from Soul to the piano. His features fall and he feels like hit heart fell as well.

They both sit in silence for a minute before Soul stands from the bench with a slight grin on his face.

"Wanna go finish our game now?"

"Yeah, okay."

Maka stands too and follows Soul back into the other room. They pick up their queues and Soul starts his turn.

"I'm not gunna let you win, I hope you know that."

"Don't get too cocky there, Eater."

"Oooh, she's come to play."

"Just shoot."

"Wanna bet?"

"Very funny."

"No serious. Let's make a bet."

"What're your terms?"

"I'll do what ever you want if you get it in."

"What do you get if you win?"

"Whatever I want."

"I don't trust you. What are you going to ask me for?"

"Deal or not? Thought you said you were going to win?"

"You're an ass. Deal."

Soul smirks as he lines up and takes his shot. He gets two of his balls in.

"Where did you come up with Eater anyways?" She lines up her next shot.

"Sounds cool, doesn't it?

"Trying to overcompensate?"

"Bitch."

"You like it!"

They both pause before Maka makes her shot. She hits a ball but it misses the pocket.

"Hey, aren't we supposed to keep going if you get a ball in?"  
"Yeah but we usually switch every time if there's a newbie. Let's them play more."

"Jerk."  
"What?" He grins slyly.

"I'm going to beat your ass so hard."

"I'd like to see you try."

Soul takes his next shot and gets a ball in. Maka gets one in next. They go back and forth until they each have one ball left.

"What's it going to be Albarn? It's my shot next."

"So what? You'll miss."

Soul smirks as he lines up his next shot. He easily pops his final ball into a pocket.

"Your turn."

Maka makes the next clean shot and the two glare each other down as Soul takes his final stance.

"Black ball, that side pocket." He points.

He grips the queue and makes the shot. It bounces off the side and rolls into the pocket.

"Sorry Albarn."

"You dick. You played me."

"Of course I did. I knew you couldn't back down from a challenge even if you knew you'd lose."

"I could have won if you fucked up."

"Too much on the line to fuck up."

"What do you want?"

"Are you hungry?"  
"I wanna know what you want me to do." She crosses her arms over her chest.

"Are you hungry?"

"I guess but-"

"I want you to come to dinner with me then."

"Wait, that's the bet?"

"Yeah."

"What's the catch?"

"It's a date."

"Where the fuck did that come from?!" She whips her arms to her sides and fists them into tiny balls.

"I want you to come on a date with me." His boldness masks his underlying nervousness.

"But why?"

"I like you."

"Where the fuck is this coming from?!"

"Relax!"

"Why?" Her eyes are pleading.

Soul takes the few steps it takes to reach her and he takes her hands. Her breath catches as he starts to massage her hands to loosen them up.

"Maka, I like you, a lot. I won't make you come or harass you into coming or anything…but I'd like you to."

"What about the bet?"  
"Screw the bet. It's not the first bet I've called off this week."

Maka stands with her lips parted with no words to say. Soul gives her the time she needs to mull everything over.

"W-what would it mean if I said yes?"

"That you might like me too."

"Might?"

"It means I have a chance."

"But not necessarily that I like you right now."

"Right."

"I'm hungry so…yeah, let's go."

Soul smiles as he entwines his fingers with Maka's.

"Y'know, five days ago you were ready to kill me."

"Don't remind me." Maka grips Soul's hand and he smiles even wider.

"What do you like to eat?"  
"Food."

"Any particular food?"

"No, you pick."

"Do you like Italian food?"

"Yeah."

"There's a start. There's an Italian place downtown, want to go there?"

"Okay."

"Perfect. Let's get going then, we still want to be back in time to watch our show."

"Yeah, that is why I came over in the first place."

Soul leads Maka up the stairs and to the front door with her hand still held softly in his.

They get their shoes on and go out to Soul's bike. Soul lets Maka get onto the bike herself this time and gets on in front of her. She holds his waist when they take off and leans back again as they drive to the restaurant.

When they get to the restaurant it isn't too busy and they only have to wait a few minutes for a table.

Everything is fine until they sit down and their comfortableness with each other seems to dissipate. Neither has ever actually been on a date before.

"So-"

"Soul, we didn't really talk about what happened earlier."

"I know. I felt like you needed a break."

"I did. Thank you for that. But I'm ready to talk about it all now."

"I'm glad. I think everything needs to be cleared up."

"You didn't really have a choice when it came to me figuring everything out."

"I would have told you eventually…maybe not so soon but-"

"I'm glad I got to know. As selfish as it sounds I'm glad there's someone else like me."'

"That's not selfish at all. I've always felt the same way and I'm happy that you told me everything that happened to you. I'm happy that you were able to."

"Knowing you went through stuff too let me trust you enough to tell you."

"Have you ever told anyone before?"

"Not a single person."

"Feel better?"

"I feel…relieved. What about you, have you ever told anyone before?"  
"I have actually. Every one of my friends at school all have stories like ours. That's how we became friends. We saw the hurt parts in each other and bonded over them."

"So, Tsubaki?"

"Even Tsubaki. She's come a long way since I met her. She's really happy now."

"I never thought-"

"You were hurting the most. It's hard to see it when you are."

Maka reaches across the table and finds Soul's hand.

"I'm gonna be okay, aren't I?"

"Do you have anything to be angry about?"

"No. Not anymore."

"So, what do you do now that your whole act has been found out?"

"I retire."

Soul chuckles lightly.

"Apparently."

Maka smiles warmly to Soul and he squeezes her hand lightly.

"So, what do people usually do on dates?"

"Talk, I guess. Eat. Dance."

"I-I can't dance."

"Then we'll have to dance."

"No, seriously. Can't dance."

"I'll lead."

"I apologize to your feet in advance."

"Bad with your feet?"

Maka grimaces. "What did I do in soccer in class?"

"Uh, played soccer?"

"I'm terrible. The worst. Nygus made me Captain because she knows I blow at it."

"So, Black Star taking you out-"

"Saved my ass…but killed it at the same time." Maka grimaces.

"How is your…ass?"

"It's okay. It was starting to feel better but it's sore again."

"I saw you running this morning."

"Really? That was like three in the morning."

"Yeah, that's about right."

"Where were you?'

"Coming home from a concert Wes played in."

"Why so late?'  
"There's always a party thing after."

"Oh…well, yeah, that's why I'm super sore today."

A tall brunette waitress comes to their table with a sweet smile on her face.

"Are you two ready to order?"

"Oh, shit, uh, we haven't even looked yet, could we get another minute?"

"Yeah, no problem."

He gaze lingers on Soul before she goes to turn away.

"She was totally eyeing you…must be blind or something."

"Doesn't matter to me, I prefer blondes."

"God, stop that! Don't be smooth with me, I _know_ you're an ass so you can't fool me."

Soul chuckles lightly. "Don't like being complimented?'  
"That wasn't a compliment."

"Maybe I just prefer one blonde then. She's smart and pretty and her attitude drives me crazy but I think in a good way."

Maka groans. "You're such an idiot!"

"You're still holding my hand so I must be doing something right."

"Let's pick what we want to eat before I whack you."

"Alright, alright."

They each flip open a menu and sift through their options. Soul's the first to close his menu and Maka does soon after.

The waitress comes back up and they each order their meals before she leaves again.

"She was checking you out again."

"Jealous?"

"Hardly."

"Good because you shouldn't be."

"Did you read a book on this shit or something?'  
"On what?'  
"Stupid cheesy pick-ups."

"They aren't pick-ups…we're already on a date."

"God, but they're so cheesy!"

"Fine, no more cheese. But again…still holding my hand."

Maka pouts and looks down.

"I haven't held anyone's hand in a while…it feels nice…t's'got nothing to do with you."

Soul sighs. "Well, _I_ like holding _your_ hand."

Maka smiles at the comment and Soul can just make out the slight blush in the dim lights of the restaurant.

"I really wish I'd seen you fight."  
"Huh?"

"You get suspended seven times, you must be a good fighter…it would be a cool thing to see."

"I could kick your ass right now.""

"I'd rather see you fight Black Star."

Maka laughs lightly. "Alright, one day if he pisses me off and I'm not at school I'll do it for you."

"Sounds like a deal."

The waitress returns with their food and smiles brightly to Soul. "I hope you enjoy your meal."

"In case you haven't noticed, your eyes keep wandering. I'd rather appreciate it if you'd keep them off my boyfriend. He hasn't given you the time of day and you're starting to piss me off. You aren't included in our date plan, right Soul?" She growl out the waitress before turning a seductive glance to Soul.

"Oh, um, you must have gotten the wrong ide-"

"I'm never wrong."

The waitress' smile falters and she nods before taking off.

"Boyfriend?"

"Don't get your panties in a twist. She was starting to piss me off. Whether I'm your girlfriend or not that's what it looks like if a guy and a girl are holding hands. If she's the kind of girl who likes to cross that line and hit on someone's boyfriend then she needs to be told to stop."

"You're amazing, you know that?"

"Stop complimenting me…it's weird."  
"You deserve it."

"Is this because-"

"No. I'm not complimenting you because people used to pick on you. I'm complimenting you because I want to. If I say you're beautiful it's because you are."

"Thank you.

"No. Thank you."

Maka furrows her brows but Soul has already dropped the topic as he starts to eat. She picks up her own fork and starts to eat as well.

_He really makes me happy. He likes it when I'm happy and he can handle me when I'm not. I think I'd be okay to call this a date._

Soul and Maka eat mostly in silence but with a few comments here and there. When they finish Soul stands and lifts Maka up smoothly out of her chair.

"What are we- Oh no, we are n-"

"Relax. I'll lead."

She frowns but goes with Soul to the open dance floor where soft music is playing.

Soul, still holding Maka's hand, places his other on the small of her back. She rests a loose fist on his chest and looks up at him.

"Just feel the music and feel me."

"O-okay."

Soul starts to guide Maka with his hand and they start to move. Maka feels the push and pull of Soul's hand on her as it goes along with the music. She tried to follow but stumbles every once in a while. She stumbled back the first time and he caught her gently and the next time she stumbled into his chest where she now rests her cheek as they continue to move.

"See, it's not so bad right?"

"Because you keep catching me."

"That's what I'm here for but remember you're the star when it comes to the dance. Smile because guys are looking at you."

"I don't care about them-" She closes her eyes as they continue to sway together.

"But they're eying a girl who's here with her boyfriend."

"The girl is too busy right now to worry about them."

"Then her boyfriend is too busy too."

"Good."

_I could live with this._

They dance through several songs and eventually go back to their table. Maka is flushed and smiling slightly and she lets Soul take her hand back in his.

"How about dessert?"

"Sounds good."

They chat away and when the waitress makes her rounds they each order something. When it arrives they take their time, still talking. Maka looks slyly across the table and Soul worries a little. He flinches when her free hand whips across towards his face but when he opens his eyes again she's licking her finger and looking at him with a tiny playful smile.

The cold spot on his nose tells him something's up and he goes to wipe at it only to find whipped cream on his hand.

He dips his finger in a glob of chocolate sauce and reaches across to wipe it on Maka's nose. She tries to lean back but he pulls her towards him with their still entwined hands.

She giggles as she cleans it off with a napkin and her playful smile turns into a sweet one.

_God dammit, it's like a fucking switch flipped in her. What the fuck is happening?_

They finish their desserts and Soul pays the bill much to Maka's protest before they head out of the restaurant.

When they walk out into the dark night they turn to each other with questioning looks.

"What time is it?"

Soul pulls out his phone and checks.

"8:04." He finds the response from Black Star. _'I knew you'd call it off.'_ He doesn't respond and keeps walking with Maka.

"Holy shit, we've been out so long."

"It was fun. I guess time didn't matter."

Maka smiles and bumps her shoulder into his. "I guess not."

They walk slowly to the parking lot and to Soul's bike.

"What do you want to do now?"

"Whatever you want to do."

"So, you don't want to go home yet?"

"Hm, no, I'd rather be with you a little longer." She flushes brightly at her own statement and looks down.

"Me too."

"Then where are we headed?"

"I' rather not go back to my house if that's okay with you."

"I understand. Wanna come to mine than?"

"Yeah, sounds good."

They get on Soul's bike and this time Maka keeps her arms round his waist the whole ride. They hop off at Maka's house and Maka leads him to the door.

_Mom's not home…car's not here._

She unlocks the door and they head in and up to her room where they both lie back on her bed.

"Uh, Maka."

"Yeah?"

"We missed DxD."

She lies in silence for a minute before she starts to laugh. It's contagious and Soul joins in with her though he's a little confused.

Maka sits up facing Soul and he faces her.

"You jerk." She pokes at his chest. "You made me miss the show!"

"I _made_ you?"

"You made me have too much fun and forget about it."

"And I'll do it again."

Soul takes Maka's hand in his and kisses her knuckles causing her to blush a bright pink.

"Soul."

"Yeah?"

"I think I like you too."

She looks up into his eyes and he smiles. She leans forwards and hugs him tightly. He wraps his arms around her and pulls her closer. She pulls away just enough to look at him and her breath hitches at their closeness.

Soul waits for her and doesn't lean forward. Eventually, when his heart is beating fast and Maka's grip on his hand tightens she leans into him.

Their lips touch lightly and they both close their eyes. The kiss is just held there for a moment before Maka leans back again.

Neither move as they assess one another and study their eyes.

Maka pushes forwards again and kisses Soul harder this time with slightly parted lips. He immediately responds and moulds his lips to hers. Hands find hips and hands find shoulders as they start to move their lips against each other in a slow and smooth rhythm.

Soul pushes Maka back gently onto the bed and she lets him. He straddles her waist and his hands find a place on either side of her head as their motions continue.

They kiss until they need to break for air and only then does Soul pull away.

He keeps looking down at her with heavy breathes and a quickened heartbeat as she looks up at him much the same.

He lies down beside her and pulls her body to his chest while still panting.

She cuddles into his chest and he wraps is arms around her.

_It just doesn't make sense. How could I grow to care for someone so much is such a short amount of time? Why does lying like this feel so good? I've never felt this way before…never been kissed before, well, that I can remember. Soul, I like you, I really do._

Maka closes her eyes.

Soul watches her eyes flutter shut and listens to the sound o her breathing even out.

Somehow he knows he's never going to get enough of this girl.

Kami comes in later than usual and after finding Soul's bike parked in the driveway she walks up to Maka's room. The bedroom door is open and the two teens lie with each other sleeping peacefully.

_Finally…_

She sighs happily before going to her own room and going to bed.

AN: Pleaase tell me what you guys like and don't like! I have killer writers block ATM and I feel like I'm throwing a whole bunch of BS together that doesn't make any sense.


	6. Chapter 6

Maka wakes up to her alarm and quickly tries to shut it off. She smacks the top of it and lies back down.

"You didn't freak out today."

"I guess I'm used to you already."

"Good, maybe I'll just have to sleep with you every night."

"Don't push your luck."

Soul grins widely and pulls Maka even closer.

"Oh hush, you like it."

She goes to protest but Soul pulls her face to his chest so her words are muffled and gibberish.

"See? You don't even deny it!"

More mumbles come from the confines of his shirt and he lets her go.

"You're a jerk."

"I'm over it, Albarn."

Maka sits up and tries to slip out of bed but Soul pulls her back down.

"Soul! I have to get ready for- Shit! We have school! What are you-"

"Walk of shame, I guess."

"You don't sound freaked out! Why aren't you freaked out?!"

"No one's seen me so it won't matter if I go to school in the same clothes as I wore yesterday."

"Oh. Yeah, I guess."

"Maka, Soul, breakfast time!"

"Well, I guess mom knows you're here."

Soul lets Maka go and they both get up from the bed. They go down the stairs and meet Kami in the kitchen.

"Hm. Soul, you should throw your clothes in the dryer, you're full of wrinkles. Maka, Show him where it is, I'll serve you guys some food while you go."

"Alright."

Maka leads Soul down a hall to the laundry room and gestures dramatically to the dryer with her hands.

He slips off his jacket and sets it on top of the dryer before pulling his Tshirt over his head.

"Oh god-!"

"What did you expect?"

"I didn't think about it!"

He throws the Tshirt into the dryer and undoes the top button on his jeans.

"Nope. Nope. Nope. I'll see you out there."

"I'll still be wearing the same thing."

"I wont be alone. In a room. With a half naked guy."

She walks out as Soul sighs and slips his jeans down. He throws them in the dryer too and starts it up before heading back out to the kitchen.

Kami is laughing and holding her stomach when he comes into the room.

"What did I miss?"

"Nothing. You missed nothing."

"She's all blushy."

"Yeah, I figured."

Soul takes a seat beside Maka in only his boxers and her cheeks darken considerably.

"So, mom, where'd you go last night?"

"Went out with my friends."

"Oh, who?"

"Went with Marie, Nygus and Azusa. We haven't done anything in a while and I figured since you were busy I asked them to go out with me."

"That sounds like fun."

"It was. Now, what did you two get up to last night?"

"We, uh, hung out."

"What did you _do_?"

"We played pool and went out for dinner then came back here."

"Dinner? Like a date?"

"Uh, yeah, like that." Maka mumbles out.

Kami throws her arms into the air excitedly but she quickly tries to compose herself.

"Alright, I suppose I have to do this. Soul, what are your intentions with my daughter?" She manages to sound serious but her lips are still quirked in a slight smile.

"I- uh- I like her, a lot."

"Don't hurt her or…I was going to say I'll kill you but I don't think I'll get to if it's her…so for your own safety don't hurt her, she'll probably kill you."

"Well, that's reassuring."

"And no sex before marriage and all that stuff too…well you can have sex just don't get pregnant until you're ready."

Maka and Soul both look to her with flushed cheeks and gaping jaws.

"Hey, I had you at 18, I can't really go out and say a bunch of crazy rules. I'm doing fine now with you so I'm not too worried about you guys."

"Mom! We're not even-"

"Don't tell me he's not your boyfriend. You guys went on a date. You like each other…you've definitely kissed-"

"What?!"

"A mother knows these things."

Maka buries her face in her arms and groans out and Soul sits a little uncomfortably but somewhat amused.

"Alright, you two better eat and head off."

Maka lifts her face from its hiding place and looks up to Soul.

"Yeah, we'll have to get going soon."

They eat in an almost awkward silence and when they finish Soul goes back to the dryer to get his now wrinkle-free clothes out. He waits in the living room with Kami until Maka comes down later with her makeup and hair done and different clothes on. She's wearing a short flapper style fringe dress with her leather jacket over it and with a black bandana in her hair.

"Ready to go?"

"Yeah."

She nods and Soul stands from his seat and follows her to the door where they put their shoes on.

"Wait, you don't have your school stuff."

"Got an extra pen and some paper?"

"Yeah."

"Then I'm good."

"Alright, let's go then."

Maka goes to open the door but Soul pulls her gently towards him. He leans down and kisses her softly on the lips. She kisses back and twists her hands into his jacket for support.

"What was that for?" Maka asks breathily.

"I couldn't help it. You look too damn good in that dress."

Maka goes up on her toes and gives Soul a quick kiss on the lips before pulling away with a smile.

Soul reaches for the door this time and the two leave together. They each get on their own bike and Maka takes off with Soul following close behind. He catches up quickly and they ride to school together side-by-side.

Having someone ride along with her comforts Maka. She peeks over at Soul and finds him looking back at her. They both give a brief smile before looking back to the road ahead of them.

It causes a scene when Maka and Soul pull into the parking lot together and even share a space. They hop off and make their way into the school walking noticeably closer together than Friday. Maka is happier and most are surprised when she laughs at something Soul says. It's like she's a totally new person.

Soul takes Maka's hand in his and she smiles up at him. Soul, who is loved by all the girls but has never had a girlfriend or had a fling with any of them, walks hand-in-hand with the newbie.

Tsubaki is listening as Black Star talks loudly and doesn't notice at first when Soul and Maka walk up to them. She only does notice when Black Star stops his speech and runs to Soul. He tackles his friend but in the moment Soul didn't let go of Maka's hand and she went down with them, crashing hard onto her tailbone.

She cries out when she hits the ground and the three involved all look to her. Her eyes are closed tight and her breathing is heavy.

Soul is the first to her side after pushing Black Star off him and he puts a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Maka, are you alright?!"

She takes a couple deep breathes before she nods her head. "Just- give me- a second."

Soul slides his hand from her shoulder to her fingers and entwines his with them.

Maka's eyes open and meet Soul's.

"Black Star, you're an idiot." She growls out before trying to get up.

She winces a lot but manages to sit up and lean forwards.

"Can you stand?"

"Yeah, no problem." She tries to say coolly.

Soul takes her other hand now two and lets her use him to pull herself up. She gets to her feet and leans into Soul's chest before closing her eyes again.

"Sorry, Maka, it was an accident this time!"

Her eyes shoot open and she turns to glare at Black Star.

"What do you mean _this _time?"

"Uh. Um. Nothing. It was an accident."

Maka breaks away from Soul and goes to Black Star. She grabs him roughly by the collar and shakes him slightly.

"You took me out on purpose last time?!"

"No. It was an accident, I swear!"

She moves her knee up, despite the pain, and touches Black Star just enough to make a threat.

"You better start talking. Why would you hit me so hard then be so nice? Doesn't make any sense."

"Because that's not what happened!"

She puts more pressure on his manhood and her yelps a bit.

"Maka, calm down, it's okay."

She ignores Soul and just keeps glaring into Black Star.

"Okay. Okay! There was a bet to see who could bang you first!"

"What?!" Her eyes are practically daggers and her whole being drips with anger. "Oh no…who all were part of it…"

She catches Black Star's eyes as they dart behind her and her grip loosens from his collar. She doesn't even turn around. She lets Black Star go and quickly makes her way down the hall away from the group. She heads to the nearest bathroom with her head down.

_Don't cry you idiot. You should have thought of something stupid like this happening. You're such an idiot. But I like him…no. Maybe I just thought I did._

"I hope you two morons are happy. You can't go involving other people in your stupid bets!" Tsubaki races down the hall after Maka and when she's already past the bathroom she turns and heads back.

She finds the door locked and sighs before knocking.

"Maka, let me in."

"No. You're friends with them."

"I have to tell you something important."

"No."

"Alright, but it's really embarrassing."

"You're just trying to get in."

"Just let me. I'm a girl who knows these two idiots and I can help you."

The lock clicks open and Tsuabaki comes in. Maka locks the door behind her and looks up at the taller girl with tear filled eyes.

"Don't cry, honey, you don't even know what exactly's going on."

"I like Soul and I thought he liked me but now I find out that there's a stupid bet involving him and Black Star trying to have sex with me."

"I think he does like you. Y'see he's never shown interest in a girl before. A lot of girls think he's hot and try and go out with him but he's never gone with any of them. But now, he's fawning over you and trying harder than he's ever tried before to get close to you."

"He must really want to win the bet."

"Soul's not that kind of guy. He's an idiot who falls for Black Star's teasing and agrees to a bet with him but he'd never do anything to hurt someone."

"He kissed me. Well, I think I kissed him but he kissed me back and then he kissed me again later."

"How many girls do you think Soul's ever kissed?"  
"A lot?"

"Nope. Just you."

"He's never kissed anyone before?!"

"No. Never."

"But he was still part of the bet when he came after me. I can't trust any of it."

"Then you know what you have to do."

"I know. This is so not cool."

Tsubaki gives a knowing smile before giving the girl a brief hug.

"Go talk to him."

"Hey, did you say you had something important to tell me?'  
"Oh..right. Well, I like the idiot. Even with his stupid bets and perverted ways I kinda have a crush on Black Star."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Unexpected, isn't it?"

"Yeah."

"Go talk to Soul now. He'll be looking for you."

"Okay. Thank you Tsubaki."

"No problem."

"Would you be offended if I hit Black Star?"

"I think he deserves this one."

They share a smile before heading back out of the bathroom. They walk through the halls and head up towards their first class. They finally find Soul on the sixth floor walking around. His eyes light up when he sees Maka and he quickly makes his way over to her.

"Maka, you have to-"

"I'm listening."

His shoulders slump a little and he lets out a heavy breath.

"I'm an idiot. Black Star goaded me into that bet because I suck…he said that if I were a real man I'd accept the bet and win it…but I called it off on…Saturday I think."

"Oh my God."

"What?"

"When we had our bet you said that it was the second bet you called off that week!"

"Yeah."

Black Star comes out of another classroom and spots the group.

"Maka-"

She meets his halfway.

"You're a dog. You're a disgusting dog! You wanna know what a real man is?!" She's over the hurt from earlier and her anger is back 100%. "A real man takes a woman out on dates and they take them dancing! They don't make perverted bets to sleep with girls! A real man makes a woman _feel_ like a woman not some toy to be chewed on and left when you get bored of them!"

"Oh trust me. I can make them feel like women."

_Wrong answer._

She takes the one step needed and thumps him with a hard fist in the stomach. He slumps forwards onto her shoulder and heaves, trying to get his breath back.

"A real man can take a hit."

She takes a step back and lets him fall to the floor on his knees.

"Do you understand me?"

He grunts noncommittally.

"Get up."

He glares as he gets to his feet.

"I must be an idiot not to have knocked your sorry ass out by now."

"You must be an idiot to not realize that there's probably a girl who genuinely likes you, not some tramp who'll hump anything with a pulse, and you're here acting like a total twat!"

"All girls like me, I'm Black Star!"

"How many girlfriends have you had? Not fuck-buddies. Girlfriends. Girls you take on dates and tell you love them and that they're beautiful not hot."

He grits his teeth and looks down.

"You better shut up or I'll kick your ass."

"So you realized I'm right."

"Shut up."

Maka sticks out her hand and waits.

Black Star stands and stares at it for a minute before taking it in his own.

"Words like that coming from a bitch like you?"

They shake hands and let go.

"Hey, Star, watch your mouth. That's my girlfriend you're talking about."

"What?!"

Soul walks up behind Maka and puts his arms around her waist. She flushes a pretty pink colour but can't help herself from leaning back into him. She looks up and he looks down and they meet eyes for a brief moment before looking back to Black Star.

"Damn. You got him. I didn't think I'd ever see the day…but we had suspicions when you showed up."

The final bell rings and Black Star nods to them before leaving with Tsubaki.

"Ready to go?"

"Yeah."

"How's your, uhh-"

"I can't feel it right now but it's going to kill by the end of first."

"Can you tell if it's worse than the first time?"

"I think it's worse."

"Fuck. That idiot."

Maka looks around the much empty halls before going up on her toes to kiss him.

"Don't worry about it. I'll live. Let's get to class."

Soul leans down and gives Maka a kiss this time.

"Yeah, okay."

Soul takes Maka's hand and leads her down the hall to their room. They enter as Stein is starting the lesson and all eyes are on them.

"Don't be late again, you two. Take your seats quickly."

Stein raises his eyebrows at Maka and she pretends not to notice.

They walk up and sit beside Tsubaki. Maka takes out her books and hands Soul a pen and some paper after a nudge.

They sit through a boring lecture and then head off to their next classes. Music is the same as always and when Soul and Maka finish they buy lunch and head up to the roof together.

Liz, Kid and Patty are already waiting and they greet Soul and Maka with enthusiasm.

"Look at miss bashful!"

"Shut up!" Maka pouts.

"Alright, Soul, what the hell did you do to her? They've been rumour all around school this morning that something's going on."

"Well, let's just say that last night was a lot of fun."

Maka whacks him on the back of the head with a hardcover. "Soul!"

"Hahaha!"

She crosses her arms and turns away from him but he turns her to face him with two hands on her hips.

"We went _out_. Had lots of fun."

"Yeah. We did."

"Aww! You're so damn cute, Maka." Liz jumps excitedly.

"I am not!" She growls out.

"You are _not_ helping your case out right now."

Maka buries her face in Soul's jacket and refuses to come out when he tugs lightly on her collar.

"What did you do to the poor girl? We just got her to come out of her shell!"

"Hey, Tsubaki! I didn't do anything. She just doesn't like the word 'cute.'"

Tsubaki sighs and makes her way to the group with Black Star in tow.

"How's your ass, Albarn?"

"It hurts no thanks to you, asshat." She says glaring just out of the confines of Soul's jacket.

"I didn't mean for you to go down too. I was aiming for Soul."

"It wouldn't hurt so badly now if you didn't take me out the first time."

"I'm sorry about that." He says while scratching the back of his head awkwardly.

"I'll live." She says coming all the way from Soul's chest. She slips her hand into his, relishing in the warmth of him; something she hasn't had for so long and didn't even now she craved.

He leans slightly into her shoulder and squeezes her hand gently.

"Seriously, what happened?"

"We're a couple-

"-that sounds weird."

"Can you think of a better word? We're together aren't we?"

"I just sounds weird…"  
"I'm over it."

"Yeah, I guess me too."

"So…we're a couple."

"We kinda figured that out…we want to know _how_."

"I blame him." Maka points to Soul with her thumb. "He wouldn't leave me alone."

"That makes me sound so uncool!"

"You are." She boldly crosses her arms over her chest, though forgetting to let go of his hand.

His hand gets squished between Maka's boob and underarm and they both meet eyes with a blush before jumping away from each other.

The group laughs at their shyness towards each other and they both turn cold glares onto the others.

Everyone starts talking and eating their lunches and it isn't long before Maka and Soul are leaning against each other again.

When lunch finishes they all head off to their next classes and after Bio, Maka and Soul head to gym.

"Maka, are you ready to join us?"

"I had a mishap this morning."

"What happened?"  
"Black Star knocked me over in the hall."

Nygus looks up to find her nephew hiding behind a certain ponytail clad girl.

"Black Star, stop hurting Maka. She needs to start gym class so she can get a good mark. And maybe work of some of her aggression."

Maka blushes along with Soul and they both look away from Nygus. Black Star, Tsu, Liz, Patty and Kid all burst into laughter and it's Liz who speaks through fits.

"Oh, she found a way to work off her aggression."

"What happened?'  
"You mean mom hasn't told you?"

"Told me what?"

"These two here are getting cozy in bed!"

"No we're not! Just his girlfriend!"

"Kami did tell me you guys were sleeping together the other night…"

Maka takes her place back in Soul's chest. He's in his gym uniform so there's no jacket to bury into but she manages to hide her face.

"What?! What the hell?! You didn't tell us you were doing it!"

"Sorry to disappoint you guys but we're not. I just fell asleep at her house."

"Lame!"

"Shut up, Liz. And quit embarrassing her. Maka, come out."

"It' so much easier now that I have a place to hide. I ain't comin' out."

Soul pushes Maka's shoulder gently away from him much to her protests but quickly stoops down to her. He gives her a long slow kiss before leaning his forehead against hers. The kiss received lots of hoots and hollers that were ignored by the couple.

"Chill. It's not cool to be all shy like this all of a sudden. Where'd your fire go?"

"You put it out."

"Cute, but I don't believe it."

"Hey, Maka, I'm glad you wore a dress today, I walked up the stairs behind you and I had the most perfect view of your ass."

Soul takes his hands off Maka's shoulders and smirks. She takes one step around and her fist flies into Black Star's jaw. She knocks him over hard and he lies on the ground groaning.

"I'm just going to pretend I didn't see that and start the class. Everyone good with that?"

Tsubaki helps pull Black Star off the ground and the group of teens follow Nygus onto the field. Soul gives Maka another kiss before helping her sit and running off with the others.

Maka watches at they start off the football unit. They pass the ball back and forth and run some drills and eventually get to scrimmage a little at the end of class.

Soul and Maka both go up to the school together and meet in the hall when once they've changed.

They run into the others in the parking lot and they're looking excited.

"We're all going to Kid's, you guys are coming too!"

Soul looks to Maka and she slowly nods consent.

"Alright, we'll be there."

"Good." Liz say before her, Patty and kid get into a black car and drive off.

"You two want rides?" Soul asks Black Star and Tsubaki.

"Yeah, thank."

"Yeah!"

"I'll take Tsubaki." Maka says quickly.

"Hahah! You can't handle me can y-"

"I don't want you anywhere near my bike. C'mon Tsubaki."

Tsubaki nods with a smile and follows Maka through the lot. Black Star and Soul comes right behind and get on Soul's bike together."

"Oooooh, Maka! You jeleous? I get to right with Soul-kun!"

"Stop being a perv or I'll make you walk."

"Yeah, that one was maybe…"

"Yeah…"

"Both of you shut up a drive. I'll follow you."

"Got it."

Soul revs his bike and takes off out of the lot. Maka takes off and goes up beside him. They drive until they arrive at the Gallows and both pairs get off the bikes.

Liz and Patty are waiting outside but Kid has already headed in.  
"So, what's the plan for today?"

"Gaming and movies!" Patty shouts.

"And pizza." Kid says as he comes back out the front door. "I just ordered."

"Wicked." Soul goes to Maka and takes her hand.

"How did you guys get so close all of a sudden? Maka was the devil's incarnate last week and now she's…nice." Liz asks with narrowed eyes.

"She's still the devil's incarnate…my stomach has the bruise to prove it." Black Star cuts in.

"That bruised?!"

Black Star pulls up his shirt and sure enough there's a fist mark starting to form.

"That's awesome." Kid states as the seven make their way into the manor and down to the basement.

"But seriously. Soul, Maka?"

"Maka plays the violin."

"We sorta played together in class."

"Though she almost killed me for cutting into her song."

"Then he showed up at my house and mom let him in."

"I found out Maka reads manga and has the sickest collection I've ever seen."

"Soul invited me over and his mom asked me to play violin with Wes."

"She failed my mom's approval test."

"Soul beat me in pool."

"I asked her out."

"We went for dinner."

"And danced."

"And had a dessert battle."

"Which wasn't really a battle."

"Then he came back to my house and we hung out some more." Maka finishes.

"And all this happened in two days?!"

"Yeah, it was a busy weekend."

Liz smiles and sighs contently.

"I'm happy for you guys."

Soul looks down and catches Maka's eyes.

"Yeah. I'm happy too."

The group has a great time. They laugh and Patty and Black Star do crazy things to keep the mood going. It's late when Maka and Soul finally leave with Black Star and Tsubaki to drive them home.

"All take you home."

"You don't have to. I'm riding, not walking or anything."

"I like riding with you."

Maka smiles.

"Okay, we'll go together…and maybe you can come in for a bit?"

"I'd love to."

Soul grins and Maka smiles before they take off again towards Maka's house. They go in together when they get there and Kami stops them halfway down the hall with a stern look and her fists on her hips.

"Maka Albarn. You went out and didn't even tell me where you'd be! I was worried sick!"

Maka gives a looks that say _come on_ and Kami returns it with a smile.

"It's a good change. Usually it's bars and strange places…I like this better' going out with friends."

"Thanks for seeing her home, Soul. You're a real gentleman. Now, do both of you want some tea?"

"Yeah, tea sounds good."

"Yes, please."

"Wonderful. I'll bring it to the living room."

The two teens go and sit and a few minutes later Kami comes out with a tray. Three teas are poured and Maka is the first to take a sit and burn her tongue.

"Ow, fuck!"

Kami sighs. "Can't do anything about the language now, can I?"

"Uh. Habit?"  
"I'm fine with it as long as you've stopped being an idiot in every other department."

"I'm not an idiot."

"That's what makes everything you've done even more stupid."

Maka growls out but not as menacingly as she normally would.

"You're like a puppy now!"

"Except she punched someone out today."

"What?! Maka-"

"It was Black Star. We're on good terms now."

"He purposely tried to get her to hit him."

"Oh, Black Star. He always did like to get on your nerves."

"He's an idiot. He knocked me over again…and now my ass hurts even more now."

"Maybe Soul can take a look at it for you."

"Mom!" Maka's face turns a bright shade of red and she covers her face with her arms.

Soul sits with his mouth slightly agape and his face an equal shade of red to Maka's.

"You guys are cute. Alright, I'll leave you alone then."

She takes her tea and heads up the stairs.

Maka slumps into Soul's side and he catches her in his arms.

"It's been a long day."

"Yeah, I guess it has."

Soul lies down and pulls Maka on top of him. She turns to face him and cuddles into his chest.

"This feels nice."

"It does."

Maka leans down and pushes her lips to Soul's. He responds immediately and kisses her back with a hot passion. His hands glide to her back and hers go around his neck. This kiss is new. Something slips and a tongue slides into a mouth. They both pause for a moment at the sudden intrusion but the soon welcome it.

Lips mesh and tongues dance. This new sensation is hot and demanding from each of the parties.

The moment is short lived though when something else intrudes.

Something thumps onto Maka's back and she cries with the sudden jolt of pain.

"Go dammit, Blair! You sure know how to fucking ruin a mood!"

The cat ignores her yelling and walks up to her shoulder to sit.

"Blair. I'm trying to start something with my new girlfriend…I don't appreciate the cock-block."

Soul points at the cat and she paws at his finger.

"Your cat sucks."

"She's very affectionate…and she loves showers."

"Does she shower with you?'  
"Yeah."

Maka sees Soul's eyes defocus and she bops him of the forehead.

"I know what's going on it your head right now."

His cheeks tinge pink and he looks away from her for a just a second.  
"Perv."

"You're really pretty and I can't help it that you have an awesome body."

It's Maka's turn to blush and she gives Soul a brief kiss on the lips.

Blair lies down with her face in the crook of Maka's neck and closes her eyes.

"I should go soon. I can't really stay over again and we're both getting tired."

"I suppose." She pouts slightly before climbing up off Soul. Blair easily accommodates to the gravity shift and finds her perch on Maka's shoulder.

The trio walks to the front door and Soul pulls his shoes on.

"I'll meet you in class tomorrow, 'kay?"

"Yeah, sounds good. See you then."

Soul pulls Maka in for another kiss and she pulls him back in when he tries to stop. When the kiss finally breaks they both smile brightly.

"Bye, Maka."

"Bye, Soul."

He leaves and Maka closes the door behind him with a heavy sigh.

Maka goes up the stairs and gets ready for bed. She crawls in with Blair and falls right to sleep with thoughts of Soul still on her mind.

Soul rides home and is quite happy when he isn't disturbed from his thoughts when he gets in the house. He goes right up to his room and goes straight to bed.

AN:Thanks for all the reviews, you guys rock. Also, writing another AU for Soul Eater now...as of today and I think it's going to be a multipart but I don't know how long it''ll be, so if I take awhile to update this story it's because I'm working on the other one and you guys should totally go look it up. I'll think it's going to be called 'Naked Canvas'


	7. Chapter 7

AN: Really sorry guys...this just kinda happened. Totally not at all what I planned and to be honest I didn't even read it over. Anyways, I hope you enjoy, uhh, and that I didn't totally jump the gun on this one...been haing major difficulties with this story... I love all of my followers and the guys who have been PMing me you all rock and are fantastic people! Anyways, onward! Story bound!

Maka wakes up to her alarm and smacks the top of it a few times until it shuts off. She rolls happily out of bed and Blair meows as Maka makes her way to her closet.

"What's up Blair?"

The cat sits at the edge of the bed and just watches Maka as she gets ready. She pulls on a black pleated skirt and a hot red corset before grabbing her jacket and heading downstairs.

"Mom?"

"Kitchen!"

Maka walks in and turns her back to Kami.  
"Can you help me?"

"Yeah." Kami goes to Maka and laces the back of her top tightly. "Breakfast is ready too so sit and eat."

She does exactly that before going up to do her makeup and brush her teeth. She comes back down and says bye to her mom before leaving for school. She hops on her bike and speeds off down the streets. When she gets to school she hops off her bike and quickly makes her way towards the school.

"Maka."

Maka looks up to find three girls leaning against one of the walls near the front door.

"That's your name, right?"

"Yeah. What's it to you?" Maka asks lightly.

"Are you dating Soul?"

"Again. What's it to you?"

The girl speaking gets up off the wall and takes a few steps towards Maka with her arms crossed.

"Well, I'd like to know."

"Got a problem if I am?" A small smirk decorated Maka's lips.

"Yes. You see my friend here likes him and has been working super hard to get his attention. She can't get it if you're in the way."

"What do you want from me?"

"Break up with him. He doesn't deserve a bitch like you anyways."

"I'm not going to break up with him."

"We can make you."

"You can try." Maka stands calmly as the other two girls get up from the wall. One is timid and Maka assumes she's the one with the crush.

"Are you sure? This is your last chance to back own before we make you."

"Yeah. I won't change my mind."

"Have it your way."

The first girl charges at Maka. Maka watches the way the girl comes at her and compensates for it. She also takes into consideration that her ass still hurts.

The girl throws a punch at Maka but is too slow and Maka easily ducks out of the way before delivering a hard punch to her stomach. She doesn't get enough weight behind it though and the girl comes at her again.

Maka hears a couple footsteps and knows one of the others is coming up behind her. The girl grabs Maka's arm and Maka does a hard spin kick. The girl goes down but Maka winces out in pain as well.

_Two left._

Maka notices students starting to show up and some have stopped to watch. The shy girl stands off to the side and doesn't initiate anything

The first girl however comes at Maka hard. Maka blocks a punch with her right arm and throws a weak punch with her left to the girl's ribs.

Soul arrives at school to find a heavy crowd. The student are cheering and yelling and Soul furrows his brows as he goes up to the group. He squeezes his way to the front of the crowd and finds Maka and three other girls in the centre of a circle. One girl is standing doing nothing. Another is on the ground beside her holding her face. The final girl has her fist drawn at Maka and Maka is standing much the same way.

He also spots Black Star from across the circle.

"Maka, what are you doing?"

Maka turns quickly at Soul's voice and her face breaks into a grin.

"Morning!"

Soul sees the other girl go to hit Maka while she's not paying attention but Maka somehow notices. She doesn't even look away from Soul as she takes a step and punches the girl as hard as she can right in the nose.

She goes limp like a doll and there's a collective gasp that goes around the circle.

Maka doesn't even glance at the girl as she goes over to Soul.

"Maka-"

"I didn't start it. It was self defence."

"You knocked her out."

"She deserved it."

"How are you going to explain this?"

Just then a teacher pushes their way into the centre of the group. Maka quickly recognizes her from Nygus' picture as Azusa.

"What's going on?" She surveys the area and knows exactly what perspired.

She looks between the three blood-clad girls and huffs.

"You three come with me right now."

"Miss Azusa she-"

"Someone help these two up and take them to the dispensary, they'll be dealt with later. You- oh my. Maka Albarn."

"Hey."

"Your father is not going to be happy about this at all."

"I don't suppose so."

She sighs at Maka and shakes her head. "Come with me.

Maka grabs Soul's collar and pulls him down into a hot kiss before following Azusa into the school.

Black Star goes to Soul and puts a hand on his shoulder.

"She's gonna be awesome in bed."

"Is that all you ever think about?"

"Yeah. Sex is great. Totally worthy for a God like me."

"She's still _my _girlfriend so stop talking about her like that."

"Just sayin'. She's got a rockin' body and she's crazy. You'll be a happy man if you ever get in her pants."

"Black Star. Shut up."

"It's just us y'know-"

"I thought Maka got through your thick skull yesterday."

"Oh. That."

"She was right. Stop being an idiot."

With that Soul walks away and into the school. He heads to class wear Tsubaki is waiting.

"Morning Soul!" She says with a bright smile.

"Morning." He grumbles out.

"What's wrong?"

"How long have you been at school?"

"A while. Why?"

"You must have gotten inside before everything happened…"

"Soul! What happened?!"

Stein hears the pair and looks up to them.

"Yes, Soul, what happened?"

"Maka got into a fight."

Stein's eyes widen. "No. She can't."

"She did. With three other girls."

"So she's-"

"In the office. Azusa took her."

"Shit." Stein looks genuinely worried.

"Soul…"

"She could get expelled for this. Number eight. She'll go straight to boarding school."

"I can't sit in class. I have to go." Soul stands back from his seat and heads out of the room as more students start to come in.

He goes all the way back down to the first floor and to the office. He looks in a sees Maka sitting in a chair waiting. Principle Death comes out from his office and waves her in and she goes to him with slumped shoulders.

Soul sits outside the office and waits. The two other girls get walked down from the infirmary and they join Maka in Death's office too.

He waits another half hour until the entire lot of them get escorted out of the office. Soul stands and stays off to the side. He knows Maka's spotted him because she purposely avoids his gaze.

Spirit walks the two girls out the front doors of the school and comes back to Azusa and Maka.

"You'll be excused from first period so rest until second, okay? You have a few injuries you might want to get looked at.

"Thanks dad."

"You're lucky."

"I'd be lucky if those girls didn't come after me in the first place."

"You'd be luckier."

Maka gives Spirit a quick hug before he and Azusa head back into the office.

Maka goes straight to Soul and collapses in his arms. He holds her closely and pets her head.

"No expulsion?"

"No."

"Suspension?"

"No."

"What happened?"

"A kid saw the girls harassing me and saw the fight start. They went and got a teacher to break it up. The kid told everyone that I didn't start it and was defending myself."

"I know you enjoyed it."

"When I'm in the mode I like fighting…but after…"

"I was worried too."

"What were they doing?"

"The little one…"

"Claire?"

"Yeah. Apparently she likes you and her friends were trying to get me to break up with you."

"Seriously?! One damn day and everyone are already being assholes. First your damn car and now this…"

"Don't worry about it. I don't think anyone else will go after me now. I kicked those girl's asses."

"Yeah, you did. Even though you're hurt."

"Yeah, I really hurt now. I need to sit down."

"We have an hour and 15 minutes until second. Let's get you to the dispensary and you can rest there for a bit."

"Okay." Maka says breathily.

Soul puts an arm around Maka's waist and help her to the dispensary and onto a bed.

"What are you doing here?" Medusa asks as she washes her hands.

"Same thing as the other two girls you just had."

"Why didn't you come sooner?!"

"It didn't hurt until now."

Medusa sighs. "Adrenaline?"

"I was nervous."

"Ah, yes, the girl with the record."

Maka lies on her side and closes her eyes.

"Maka, are you okay?"

"I hurt. It really hurts now."

"Is there anything I can do?"

"Hold my hand."

"Yeah. Okay."

Soul takes a seat beside the bed and takes Maka's hands in his. She squeezes them but other than that doesn't move.

Medusa comes over with a tiny cup of pills.

"Maka, take these. Extra strength Ibuprofen."

Maka slips a hand from Soul's and opens it up. Medusa gives her the pills and she pops them into her mouth and swallows them dry. She puts her hand back into Soul's.

"I leave you to rest." Medusa says before exiting into another room.

Soul leans down and kisses Maka on the lips.

"Relax."

"I can't. It hurts too much."

"Your muscles are too tense. Trust me."

Maka's eyes flutter open and she looks to him before taking a breath and letting her muscles loosen. She sighs out a bit a closes her eyes again.

Soul rests his chin on the bed touches his nose to Maka's.

"I've suddenly become the crazy dependant girlfriend."

"You're wrong. It's not your fault shit keeps happening."

"It probably is."

"How?"

"Some stupid thing I did in the past probably caused all this to happen."

"Then I'm happy you did it. I got to meet you, didn't I?"

"You'd be better off without me. I'm trouble."

"Maybe I like trouble. Maybe I like it a lot." He kisses her again. "Maybe I love it."

Maka's eyes open halfway but they speak volumes.

"You believe in fate, then, Maka? The whole 'red string' thing?"

"Maybe not…"

"You don't think there's someone out there that you're destined to be with?"

"If I ever found someone like that I'd like to believe I chose them…or they chose me."

"I chose you."

"You can't say that."

"I just did."

"We just met."

"But I've already come to know you. Isn't that enough to base a decision off? Is it really time that determines where you should be? Black Star's our age but he's still completely oblivious to relationships even though he's been in plenty. You and I have never been in one but…here we are."

"It's only been a week."

"Time doesn't matter to me. There's only the here and now."

"So…"

"I love you."

"No."

"It feels right. This is right. I love you."

"How do you know if you've never loved someone before?"

"How does anyone? It must be something we're born with."

"You don't sound very cool right now."

"I don't care."

"H-how would I know?"

"You feel it."

"I feel…but I don't know what."

Soul kisses her on the lips.

"What does that do?"

"Makes my heart go faster."

Soul brushes a piece of hair off Maka's face. "And that?"

"Makes me feel tingly."

Soul places a hand on her waist. "And this?"

"Happy. Cared for."

"I want to be with you all the time. Last night when I went to bed I missed having you in my arms. What about you, Maka?"

"It was colder without you."

"I love you. I've never wanted to say those words until never. Never felt I had to."

"You don't have to."

"But I do."

"Soul, are you trouble?"

"For my parents I am."

"Then I think I love trouble too."

"You think? You think too much."

"I love trouble. If what you feel is love then I love you too."

Soul smiles and leans down to kiss Maka again. It's hot and slow and Maka is flushed when he pulls away again.

Maka leans up.

"Maka-"

"Just a sec."

She shinnies back on the bed so there's more room between her and Soul. She pats the space on the bed.

"Lie with me."

Soul smiles and climbs up onto the bed with her.

"I'm not letting anyone hurt you anymore, got it?"

"You can try but I seem to be a magnet for disaster."

"I'll protect you."

"Thank you."

"No. Thank you."

"For what?"

"For giving me someone I want to protect."

Maka smiles and closes her eyes again. Soul closes his eyes as well and they both rest peacefully.

Maka wakes up to a long kiss and opens her eyes to find Soul still lying with her.

"Hi."

"Hey. Are you going to second?"

"Hm? Yeah." Maka goes to sit up slowly and only manages to get up with Soul's help.

"Are you sure? If you're-"

"I'll be okay."

"You were in a lot of pain."

"I still am."

"Then you're lying down again."

"I don't want to miss music."

"You don't even like the class."

"But I get to play with you."

"God dammit. We'll play another time. Just lie down."

Maka nods and slowly lies back down on her side.

"You're stubborn. And stupid."

"Shut up."

"I love you, though."

"M. I love you, too."

"Good. Rest some more."

"Yeah, okay. I'm not tired though, can we talk?"

"Yeah, of course."

"Okay, good."

"So, what do you want to talk about?"

"I don't know. Anything."

"Hmm. What's your favourite subject?"

"None. I hate school."

Soul laughs heavily. "Yeah, me too."

"You just hanging with me so you don't have to go to class?"

"Of course."

Maka laughs lightly and smiles. "Good to know you've got your priorities straight."

"Making sure you're okay is number one right now."

"Thank you."

"No problem."

He kisses her on the nose and she smiles warmly.

"And it was super hot the way you took that girl out."

Maka flushes a light pink and looks down.

"Don't get all shy with me."

"I'm not."

"You're blushing like mad."  
"It's because I like you." Maka leans to Soul and rests her forehead onto his.

"You're beautiful, Maka."

"You're really nice. And I love you. I definitely feel it."  
Soul presses his lips to Maka's again.

"I love you."

Maka closes her eyes again and rests her head on Soul's arm. It isn't lost before her breathing slows and she's asleep.

"Not tired my ass." Soul whispers.

Soul and Maka both jump to a loud crash and Soul catches Maka as she's about to fall over the edge of the bed. She cries and clutches Soul's chest with harsh breathing.

"Black Star is here!"

"You fucker! Chill out, she's hurt!"

"Yeah, that's why we're here."

Tsubaki, Kid, Liz and Patty stand behind him,

"You just made her jump and she can't move you asshat."

"You stole my word." Maka mumbles from his shirt.

"You okay?"

"I'll live."

Soul turns a cold glare on Black Star and he actually manages to calm down.

"How are you feeling, Maka?"

"A little better, thanks Tsubaki."

"That's good. I was worried when you didn't come back to class and then Stein said you were in here and I got even more worried. We came as soon as the lunch bell rang."

Maka smiles to the girl.

"You don't need to worry about me."

"Maybe we don't need to but we still do."

"Thanks."

"And we brought you both lunch." Tsubaki offers a bag forwards to the two.

"You didn't-"

"We wanted to. That's what friends do."

"Yeah, so shut up and eat it, Albarn!"

Maka glares at Black Star as she tries to sit up. Soul helps her and she manages to get up but propped against a pillow.

Tsubaki and the others sit around Soul and Maka on the other beds and Tsubaki passes Soul and Maka food out of the bag before taking another bag from Black Star and taking out her own.

"So, Maka, what happened this morning?" Liz asks bluntly.

"She kicked those two girl's asses! I told you that already."

"Shut up Star. I'm asking _why_ she did it."

"They came after me."

"Really?! Why?!"

"Just didn't like me, I guess."

"Hm. Stupid twats."

"Haha! Liz said a bad word!"

"Like you don't swear all the time, Patty?"

"But you don't!"

"I wasn't even swearing…"

Maka stifles a small laugh as Soul holds her steady and the others start to laugh as well.

They all eat together and talk wildly with multiple conversations going on at once. Maka has trouble keeping up with all of them and eventually manages to focus on one person at a time.

Soul leans down to her ear and whispers to her.

"You look happy."

"I am."

"I'm glad."

"It's been awhile. I haven't been happy in so long."

"You make me happy, Maka."

Maka leans into Soul and rests her head on his shoulder. He rests his hand gently on her hip and kisses the top of her head.

"Gross! PDA!"

"Can it, Star."

"Bahahaha!"

"Hey, are you two going to third?"

"Yeah. There's no point in being here if I don't at least go to some class."

"Yeah, 'cause you can't really do gym…"

"Yeah, not really." Maka gives an over exaggerated frown to Tsubaki and she laughs.

"We should all leave now, then. It's on the sixth floor and it's going to be an adventure getting you up there."

"I think you're right. Let's go then."

Soul looks at her sceptically but gets up off the bed to help her. He goes to her side and takes her around the waist. Black Star comes over in case something goes wrong and Soul gives him a thankful smile.

They get Maka up without incident and both her and Soul let out relieved breathes.

"Off to Bio then?"

"Yeah."

"I can't believe this stupid school has six floors and no elevator."

"Yeah, they could have thought that out better."

Soul lets go of Maka slightly and she eases into a step.

"How is it?"

"It's throbbing but it doesn't seem to hurt worse when I move."

"That's good."

Maka takes another step and she starts a slow walk to the door with Soul in arms reach in case she needs help.

The group heads up to the sixth floor and Maka manages to get a faster pace going as she walks more. Soul is always close and always watching but she never needs his help.

They walk in early and Stein is already there straddling his seat backwards.

"So, you've finally joined the real world?"

"Screw you, Stein."

"And you're even watching your language! Fantastic!"

Maka sighs and shakes her head.

"Seriously, how are you feeling though?"

"I'm fine."

"Marie said you didn't show for music. You were out two periods. That seems to be a record for you."

"I've had some sketchy luck lately. Nothing moderate just extreme highs and extreme lows."

Stein smirks. "Do any of those highs have anything to do with the text I sent you?"

"N-no!"

Stein laughs dryly. "I happy for you two." He looks suggestively between the two and Soul face contorts.

"What the hell do you text her?"

"He harasses me about you."

"Huh?"

"Stuff about us getting closer."

"Isn't that kinda creepy?"  
"He's my godfather."

"What the hell?"

"Let's go sit down."

"Yeah…right."

"So, Maka, let's hear it."  
"Yeah, we're dating."

"Spirit won't be very happy."

"He can deal with it. I'm sure he's told you we made up."

"Yes, a few hundred times."

Maka laughs lightly as she sits in her seat and Soul sits beside her.

"Good luck, Soul."

"Why?"

"Spirit's been telling Maka since she was born that she's never allowed to date and she's never getting married."

"I don't care how hard it is; as long as she's Maka it doesn't matter."

Maka grabs his face and pulls him into a searing kiss that he responds to with just as much enthusiasm.

"You're in class, y'know. Technically that's not allowed."

Maka pulls away for just a second to glare at Stein. "I don't give a damn." She pulls Soul back to her and continues their kiss.

Maka pulls away again just as the bell rings and only minutes later the class is filled with students.

Class is the same as always and goes by slowly with a long lecture. The group of seven go from bio to gym and Maka doesn't even bother changing today and just heads right to the gym with Nygus.

"I heard about your little fight this morning. What was that all about?"

"Some girls didn't like me and thought that if there were three of them they could hurt me."

"Hm, Maka what are we ever going to do with you?"

"I'm getting better."

"Yeah, you're managing to hold normal conversation now…"

"I could hold a conversation!"

"Not without wanting to kill someone!"

"Not true." She mumbles back.

Nygus laughs lightly and shakes her head at Maka. "We're all glad you're back. We all missed our favourite little troublemaker."

Maka sighs heavily. "I missed you guys too. Except Stein. He's a dick."

"He cares about you a lot, y'know."

"Yeah, I know."

"Looks like the class is all here. Let's head out!" Nygus leads the class outside and dumps a bag of balls onto the field. "Everyone grab a partner and start passing. Whoever's left over pass with me."

Maka sits and watches everyone play. She pays extra attention to Soul and studies the movements in his lean muscles as he skilfully passes the football to Black Star. He looks over to her a gives a stunning smile before his attention goes back to Black Star and he catches a hard pass.

They move into drills then a scrimmage. The class finishes and Maka waits for Soul to change before the two head out to the parking lot together.

"Are you okay to drive? I could take you?"

"It's okay. I got this."

"I'll drive beside you then."

"Yeah. Okay."

Soul helps Maka onto her bike and it's a difficult task but they manage.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I can do it."

"You just don't want to leave her at school overnight." He points to the bike resting between Maka's thighs.

"Obviously."

Soul chuckles and Maka smiles.

"It's kinda hot."

"Not too bad yourself, Tiger."

"I saw you watching me in gym…"

"Don't care!" Her words are confidant but her blush gives her away.

Soul leans down and gives Maka a chaste kiss on the lips.

"Let's go."

"Yeah."

Soul gets on his own bike a few spaces away and waits for Maka to go. He follows her from the lot then rides beside her all the way to her house.

They park in the driveway and Soul goes over to help Maka from her bike.

Kami comes out the front door with furrowed brows and watches as Soul helps Maka up the steps with an arm around her waist.

"What's going on?"

"You mean no one told you?"

"Told me what?!" She's impatient.

"Some girls came after me today. I got hurt."

"What?! What the hell?"

"It's over so it's not a big deal."

"Maka! You're limpy!"

"Yeah, I'm a little limpy…I'm over it."

"You fought them."

"Yeah. I fought back."

"I told you-!"

"I didn't even get suspended so chill."

"Thank God!"

"Some kid was there and said they started the fight so I'm off the hook."

"For now. You better be careful."

"I plan on avoiding anymore physical contact for awhile…"

"Except for Soul, right?"

"Huh?"

"He's holding you right now…"

"Fine. Except for Soul. He's gentle…it's okay."

"You're so gross. I was never like this with your father…"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You're swooning, honey."

"God, you're so embarrassing!"

"Whatever. Both of you in the house, let's go."

Soul helps Maka into the house and helps her up the stairs to her room as she directs. He stands awkwardly at the edge of the bed until Maka rolls her eyes at him.

"Get in here…it's not like you haven't slept here."

"Wasn't sure if you wanted me to leave or not." He says as he gets up on the bed and lies beside her.

"I want you to stay."

"Good."

Maka moves her legs to entwine with Soul's and he takes her hands in his.

"You're not allowed to get hurt anymore, got it?"

"I'm not trying to." She grumbles back.

"Either way it's kinda hard to take you out if, y'know, I can't take you out."

"Like a date?"

"Well, yeah. You said we're dating but we really only went on one."

"Yeah, we've just been hanging out."

"So, you get all healed up and then we'll go do something, got it?"

"Yeah. Sounds good."

"Cool."

Soul places a hand on Maka's cheek and moves to kiss her. There lips brush before he pushes into her. Maka places a hand on his chest and as the kiss deepens her hand grasps onto the fabric of his Tshirt.

Maka slips her tongue into Soul's mouth with no resistance. Her tongue finds his and they dance together as the two explore everything they can. Maka slides her tongue along the serrated edge of Soul's teeth and soon after bites his lips playfully.

Soul's other hand moves to Maka' s hip and he plays with the hem of her top as he dives his tongue back into her mouth. Her gentle pushes Maka onto her back and hovers over her.

Their lips work roughly against each other. Maka moves her hands up to entwine in Soul's hair and he slips a thumb under her top.

"I brought you guys a snack if you want it. I'll just leave it on the desk."

Soul jumps back off Maka and blushes brightly as he meets eyes with Kami. Maka shares the same expression but her lips are still parted slightly.

Kami's out the door before either teen can think of any words and Soul just slumps onto the bed beside Maka.

"Well, that was awkward."

"She's cool about it but…awkward as hell."

Blair pops up onto the bed and sits looking at the two.

"First you," Soul points at the cat, "then Kami."

"Frustrated?"

"Yes. I'd like some alone time with you."

Blair walks over and curls up into Maka's side and she absentmindedly strokes her fur.  
"Well, we were about as far as we could go anyways." Maka's eyes widen before she blushes and looks away.

"If you don't want to go further we wont. No big deal."

"It's not that-"

"You're blushing."

"It's just new, that's all."

"We're not there yet anyways, so don't get all panicky."

Maka looks back to Soul to see a warm smile on his face.

"You freak out too quickly over things. It's damn cute but still…"

"Shut up."

"Huh?"

"Shut your trap and kiss me."  
"Hmm…What if I say I'm hungry?"

"You suck."

"Haha."

"You complain about my cat and mom killing a mood and here you are totally ruining a mood."

"I think we should maybe take a break. I don't want to hurt you by accident."

"You suck."

"Quit saying that."

"Go get your damn snacks."

Soul smirks as he gets off the bed. He goes to the desk and brings back a plate with cookies on it.

He picks one up and offers it to Maka. She glares before taking it and taking a small bite. He takes one for himself and bites into it and lies back beside Maka.

Blair's eyes pop open and she hops up and tries to take the cookie from Maka.

"No. None for you." Maka holds the cookie up away from her.

A small mew is emitted from the cat and Maka sighs.

"One bite. That's it."

She breaks off a small piece and gives it to Blair who eagerly accepts

"Your cat is weird."

"Oh, I know." She smiles brightly.

"Guess she takes after y-" _Thump._ "Ouch! What the hell?" Soul yells as his he covers his head.

Maka smirks as she lowers her hand. "Don't be a jerk."

"Says you."

"Whatever."

"Too damn cute."

"Don't call me cute."

"You are."

"How?"

"Your big green eyes. You tiny little nose. The way you get all flustered. That you hide your face when you get embarrassed. That you get embarrassed… You pout a lot too. Want me to go on?"

"I'm not cute."

"You're pouting right now."

"Am not!"

Soul lets out a warm laugh and Maka can't stop herself from smiling.

"Okay, Tiny."  
"No gay ass nicknames. I will permanently cock-block you."

"Right. No nicknames." Soul gets up to hover over Maka again and leans down to kiss her. It only lasts a few seconds but Maka sighs contently when he pulls away again.

"I've got to go soon."

"Hmm. Alright, I guess."

"I'll see you tomorrow at school."

"Yeah, I'll see you there."

Soul kisses Maka again and a little longer this time.

"I love you, Maka."

"I love you too, Soul."

He gives her another quick kiss before getting off the bed and heading to the door. He gives a short wave and she smiles brightly at him before he disappears out the door.

Soul walks down the stairs and into the living room where Kami is sitting with a tea gripped tightly in her hands and eyes glued to the TV. He decides not to bother her and slips out the front door unnoticed.

Maka continues to pet Blair and a small smile creeps onto her face.

"God dammit. Jackass made me fall in love with him. So not cool."

Blair paws at Maka's long hair and Maka moves a piece around to play with the cat.

Soul gets on his bike and heads off towards home. When he gets in the door his mother steps out of the kitchen with her arms crossed.

"You're late."

"Not that late."

"You didn't come straight home after school and you didn't tell me."

"Not like you've ever noticed before."

"Watch your mouth. You've been doing this often?"

"I didn't even sleep at home two nights in the last week."

"You've been at Maka's?"

"Yeah."

"You're not seeing her anymore."

"You can't stop me."  
"What would you do without all the things that we provide for you?"

"Same thing everyone else does. Get a job. I don't need your money so you can't hold it against me."

"You have two choices here. You can leave by the end of the month or you can break up with Maka."

"Why this all of a sudden?"

"I thought it was just a fling. No issue. But I did notice you coming and going. You have responsibilities to this family that include marrying a proper woman and this _girl_ is no proper woman."

"She's more of a woman than you'll ever be."

"You have until the end of the month." She turns on her heel and walks out of the hall again.

"Fuck…"

Soul slumps up to his room and closes the door. He locks the door and falls onto his bed.  
"Two days and the worlds already out to fucking get us."

Kami comes into Maka's room with a sad expression on her face. Maka eases into a sitting position and looks worriedly at her mother.

"Mum? What's wrong?"

"I got promoted."

"Then why do you look like…" She gestures with her hand.

"I have to go to Africa."

"What?! Why?"

"That's where they need me."

"What are you going to do?"

"I have to go, Maka." Kami walks to the bed and sits down.

Blair goes to Kami and snuggles into her lap.

"What does that mean…for me?"

"You have two choices here. You can leave with me at the end of the month or you can go live with you father."

Soul can't sleep that night and thoughts of the future flood his mind. What will he choose? Will he abandon the people he's lived with for 19 years for a girl he's only met a week ago?

Maka can't sleep that night. What will she choose? Can she let her mother leave without her? Will she really stay and pursue the boy she only met a week ago? The people she only befriended a few days ago?


	8. Chapter 8

"Do you know what you're going to do?" Kami asks as she sets a plate in front of Maka.

"I have to go with you."

"That's you decision? You're coming with me?"

"Yes."

Kami doesn't say another word and continues her breakfast in silence.

"Isn't this what I wanted? I wanted to leave. This is my perfect chance to finally go." Soul mumbles to himself as he gets dressed.

Soul finds Maka leaning against her bike when he gets to school.

"Morning, Maka."

"Morning, Soul." She replies dejectedly.

"What's wrong?"  
"We have to talk."

"A-alright. We can go up to the roof?"

"Yeah. That'll work."

They walk silently the whole way upstairs and Soul helps Maka several times as they make their way up the steps. Once they get there Maka takes a minute to start.

"I'm moving to Africa."

"Wh-what? Why?"

"My mom's work moved her there and I'm going with her."  
"When do you leave?"

"End of the month."

"So we have two weeks to do as much as we can together."

"What's the point of that if I'm leaving?"  
"Doesn't matter where you go, I'll still love you. I want to spend as much time with you as possible."

"It's not going to work."

"Not with that attitude, it won't. Just take it a day at a time, Maka." Soul goes to Maka and wraps his arms around her. "I love you."

"I love you too, Soul, bu-"

"Shh."

He kisses her softly and she sighs into him. When he pulls away again there are tears in her eyes. He kisses her again, then again, then again. He keeps placing small kisses on her face until Maka lets out a giggle.

"There's that beautiful smile."

"What do we do then?"

"Well, we go to class first. One day at a time, Maka."

"O-okay. Let's go then." Maka slips her hand into Soul's and he leads her down the stairs and to their class.

The two mostly just hang out at Maka's house and everyday when Soul comes over there is one more box backed

Soul looks for an apartment and a job on the days that he and Maka don't spend together and eventually finds both.

There are a couple more heated moments between the two and they all leave both teens breathless.

The night before Maka is due to leave Soul shows up at her house. He's wearing a red shirt with a black tie and dress pants and is holding a bouquet of primroses and violets.

Kami calls Maka down and she walks down the stairs in a floor length shimmering red dress that hugs every curve of her body.

"These are for you." He hands her the bouquet and she looks it over before meeting his eyes with a bright smile.

Kami takes them from Maka and into the kitchen.

"I'll put them in water."

"You ready to go?"

"Yeah."

Soul offers Maka his arm and she hooks her arm into it. They head out the door together and halt at the two motorcycles in the driveway.

"I.."

Maka bursts out laughing.  
"Don't panic, Soul. I can sit on a bike in the dress."

"I didn't even think about it…"

"Come on. Let's go."

"Yeah. Let's."

Soul takes Maka's hand and she lets him help her onto the seat. She sits sideways with both feet dangling on the same side.

"You sure?"

"Yes. Now get on."

"Right."

Soul sits in front of her and she slips her arms around his waist as he starts up the bike. They head off in the direction of downtown but Maka grows confused when they pass all the way through and out the other side.

There twenty minute journey takes them to Kid's house and when Soul gently lifts Maka off the bike she doesn't protest.

"What's going on?"

"The date thing was a ruse. The girls wanted to throw you a surprise party."

"What's with the dress then? You told me to dress nice."

"The girls like to dress up. They'll all be in dresses too and the guys'll be dressed nice."

"Oh, okay."

"You sound disappointed."

"I kinda wanted to spend some alone time with you."

"We can do that after. And, another thing. I moved out of my parents."

"What?! Where'd you move? Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"I moved into an apartment downtown. We had other things to do besides talk about me moving out, that's all."

"Can we go there tonight?"

"If you want."

"I do."

"Then we'll go. But for now…"

"Yeah, let's head in."

The night is fun. The group dances a lot and Maka's stomach hurts from laughing so much. They eat dinner together is the beautifully decorated dining room and dance more after. Patty throws on a slow song and three pairs find themselves dancing together. Maka meets Tsubaki's eyes and she winks at her friend as Black Star twirls her around. Soul compliments Maka on the improvement of her two left feet and makes her stumble by kissing her passionately as they dance.

Maka and Soul leave later together and take the bike to an apartment complex. Soul helps her off again and leads her up a set of stairs and down a hall. He pulls out a set of keys and unlocks the door. They walk in and Maka looks around with a small smile on her lips.

"I like it."

"Yeah, me too."

"Can I look around?"

"Yeah, of course."

Maka walks in and into the kitchen.

"Why'd you move?"

"I've already told you before."

"Okay, I know why but you wanted to but what made you actually."

"Mom said I had to break up with you or get out. I didn't even want to be there in the first place so the choice was pretty easy."

"W-why didn't you tell me?"

"I wanted to spend as much time with you as possible and not have you worry."

Soul follows Maka as she walks from the kitchen to the living room then back out and down the hall.

"Moving to Africa is a bigger thing than moving 10 minutes away."

"You still could have told me."

"I'm telling you now."  
She comes to a locked door and turns to him.

"What's in here?"

"A second bedroom. The landlord is still trying to find someone to rest it."

"So you'll share the kitchen and stuff?"

"Yeah."

She points down the hall to another door. "So that's your room?"

"Yeah."

She walks down the hall and into the room with Soul right behind her.

"I never saw your room before."

"It was boring. This one's way cooler."

"Then I like this one better."

"I like it too."

Maka walks in and sits on the edge of the bed and Soul sits beside her.

"You know you look beautiful in that dress."

"I feel pretty they way you look at me."

"I'm going to miss you, Maka. It's hard to think about what it's going to be like without you. You've changed my life in the three weeks you've been here."

"You've changed mine too."

"Will you come back to visit someday?"

"Yeah. My dad's here and I grew up here so I should be back sometimes."

"Come see me if you do, okay?"

"Yeah. I will."

"How do you feel? About going."

"I don't know. I want to stay but I don't want my mom to be alone. You guys all have each other but my mom won't have anyone if I don't go with her." Maka leans against Soul's shoulder and sighs.

She looks up and meets his eyes and he stoops to kiss her. She stops him from pulling away with a hand on his shoulder and he turns to face her.

"Soul, I love you."

"I love you too, Maka."

Maka kisses Soul hotly and leans back, pulling him on top of her. He steadies himself with a hand on either side of her head and moves a leg to straddle her waist. She wraps her arms around his neck and pulls him down so their chests are touching.

Soul slips his tongue into Maka's mouth and their lips move against each other in a needy and desperate kiss.

Soul's eyes open wide when he feels tears drip onto his hands. He pulls back slightly and looks at Maka whose eyes flutter open.

"Maka…"

"I don't wan to leave."  
"I know, but we'll see each other again. Don't worry. I'll text you and we can skype and stuff."

He gets off her and sits. He pulls her into his lap and holds her tightly.

"Shh, don't cry Maka. You'll ruin your makeup."

"Shut up." She pouts out.

"You have to get up early tomorrow to catch a flight. Maybe I should take you home now."

"No. I want to stay longer."

"What time are you leaving?"

"Plane leaves at nine. We're leaving the house at 7:30."

"You should get some sleep."

"I can sleep on the plane." She hugs him tightly.

Soul sighs and lifts Maka up off the bed.

"Alright. We'll do something else then." He leaves her and walks to a stereo. He plugs in his Ipod and turn on a low and sweet jazz song. He offers Maka a hand and kisses her fingers softly. "May I have this dance?"  
"Yes, you may."

Soul pulls Maka softly to his chest and places a hand on the small of her back. They start to dance in slow circles around the room and when the song finishes Soul brings Maka into a sweet kiss.

It isn't long before Soul is driving Maka back to her house and their goodbye shakes two hearts greatly.

"Maka, honey, are you alright?"

"Just tired."  
"Go to bed then. I'll wake you up in the morning."

"Yeah, okay."

Maka goes to her room and doesn't even change before crawling onto the bed and falling asleep.

Soul goes to answer the door. It's his landlord.

"Hey."

"Hey, Soul. Just thought I'd let you know that I got someone to rent the room. They'll be moving in sometime this week."

"Yeah, okay."

Soul goes to his room and doesn't even change before falling asleep.


	9. Chapter 9

Kami wakes Maka up and the girl barely registers the outer world as she goes through the daily motions of getting ready.

"Time to go, sweet pea. We'll stop for breakfast on the way to the airport."

"Mm." She answers noncommittally.

Soul wakes up and gets ready for school. He leaves his apartment with no sign anyone else moving in yet and rides his bike through the busy downtown streets.

Maka arrives at the airport with Kami and they unload there luggage from the cab.

"Are you sure you wan to come? I really didn't think you'd last this long."

"Huh?"

"You can still stay."

"I'm coming with you."

"Maka, you havent' told me why. Any time I bring it up you brush off the topic but we're getting on the plane soon and you need to talk to me about this. Stop ignoring the situation."  
"Why wouldn't I go?"

"Because you have a whole life here. You lived here for 18 years and you're about to drop it all to come with me. Why?"

"Never mind that. Let's go. We have to stow our luggage."

"Maka. Talk to me. If you get on that plane there's no turning back."

"I don't plan to turn back."

"Maka. Tell me what you're thinking."  
"I don't want to leave you alone, okay?! You never left me alone and you never stopped trying to help me! I'm doing the same thing for you!"

"By coming with me you're ruining all the hard work I did! You finally start talking to people again and now you're just going to throw it all away?!"

"I-"

"Need to realize I want you to be happy. I'll be back and you can come visit but you need to do what you want not what you think is best. I won't be alone. I'll have colleagues down there and I have an old friend down there."

"An old friend?"

"Yes. And I was in love with him before I met you father. I had to leave to come to DC with _my_ parents and I haven't seen him in years."

"Mom…"

"Give me a hug and go."

Maka grasps Kami tightly and Kami kisses the top of her head.

"You're so stupid, you know that? You know what you want so go get it. You've had enough taken away from you that you can be selfish right now and no one will give a damn."

"I love you too, Maka. I'll see you soon."

"See you, mom."

Kami places something in Maka'd hand and squeezes it. When she lets go she says one word.

"Run."

With a smile Maka makes her way through the airport. A security guard tries to stop her but she doesn't care and just keeps running.

She gets outside and hales a cab. She throws the bag she's manages to keep a hold of into the back seat and jumps in the front.

"Shibusen. Please." She says out of breath."

The driver nods and speeds off.

Maka opens her hand to find a note and a set of keys.

Soul meets Black Star at the front of the school and they walk in together.

"How you doin'?"

"I'm alright. I just wish we could have had more time. Something could have happened, y'know?"

"Do you believe in the whole 'she's the one' crap?"

"Yeah. I do. And she's it."

"I think I found someone too, man."

"Who?"

"Tsubaki."

"Are you going to stop being an ass long enough to go for her?"

"Yeah. It really got to me when Maka yelled at me. I've been better, haven't I?"

"Yeah, you have gotten better. Maka was even being nice to you for a while there."

"I noticed that too. She was just warming up to me and now she's…"  
"You can say she's gone. It's not gonna kill me."

"We're all gunna miss her, dude."

"Yeah, I know."

"Soul!"

Soul turns around at the sound of his name but is hit hard before he can focus on the speaker. He falls back in a tangle of limbs and hair and smiles when two bright green eyes greet him.

"Maka, what the hell are you doing here? Shouldn't you be-?"  
"On a plane. I know It's gone. I'm not going."

"What?!"

"I'm staying here."

"Explain!"

Her answer is a long and slow kiss. Soul sits up and hugs Maka tight to his chest.

The two stand up together but Soul doesn't let go of Maka.

"Seriously, what the hell is going on?"

"Mum convinced me to stay. She told me to go get what I wanted and not to worry anout her."

"You couldn't have decided that two weeks ago?!"

"I'm stubborn, remember?"

"Oh, yes you are!"

"So, now what?"

"Well, class just started…"

"Then let's go."

"You don't have your school stuff."

She gives him a sly grin. "Got a pen and some paper?"  
"I feel like we've had this conversation before. Hmm…"

They both laugh as they find their class. Soul opens the door and walks in holding Maka's hand.

"Soul be on time t- Maka?!"

"Morning, Stein."

"I thought you were leaving today."  
"We had a change of plans."

He smiles crookedly. "Alright, take your seats."

When Maka sits she gets ploughed with a hug from Tsubaki.

"H-hey, Tsu-Tsubaki." Maka says through Tsubaki's chokehold.

"Maka, I love you!"

Maka pats her head. "I love you too, but you're causing a scene."

"Right, sorry."

Tsubaki gives her another quick squeeze before getting off her and sitting upright in her seat.

Stein sighs and resumes his lesson.

At lunch Maka an Soul go up to the roof together to find all their friends already gathered.

"Alright, Albarn. You've got some explaining to do."

"You tell'er, sis!"

Maka explains what happened and the girls mostly make small squeaks of joy until the end of the tale.

"It's like a movie!"

"Yeah, don't get all worked up about it."

"It's so cute!"

"Whatever."  
Soul moves over to Maka and takes her hand.

"So, what do we do now, Love?"

"I did not need the image of you saying that in a British accent in my head."

"What do we do now, Love?" Soul repeats in the suggested accent.

"Oh my God! I thought you said you were from Jersey!"

"I am. Doesn't mean I don't know a few tricks."

"Guys, she's swooning."

"Guess my girlfriend has a hotspot for accents."

"You all can shut up."

Soul leans down and whispers low so only she can hear him. "I say we dip. Hang out somewhere."

"Yeah, can we?"

"I think some alone time is called for."

Maka flushes brightly as all her friends grin wildly except Tsubaki who flushes along with her.

"You two run along. We'll cover for you."  
"Right, see ya."

Soul takes Maka's hand and they leave the roof and head down to the main floor.

"So, love, we can go to my apartment and I can make you some lunch."

"Quit with the accent."  
"Hmm, but it makes you hot, doesn't it?"

"Shut up."

"Lunch?"  
"Yeah, lunch."

"Alright."

They get on Soul's bike and take off to his apartment. When they get there a very familiar custom bike sits in the lot.

"What the…holy shit."

Maka quickly unzips her pocket and pulls out the neglected letter and the set of keys.

"She fucking didn't…"

She tears open the envelope and starts to read it.

_Maka._

_Looks like all your bad luck finally caught up to you. I'm glad you decided to stay here, I know you have some unfinished business to take care of and I'll be sure to call you every once in a while to check up on you. Don't be afraid to call me either._

_Anyways, I knew you'd pick to stay…eventually, so I've set some things up for you. I'm sure Soul told you he moved into an apartment and to your luck I'm friends with the landlord, Tezca. You live there too now. All your things are being taken there after school Monday and your bike will be there sometime too. Oh, and Blair is at your fathers until you go get her. She isn't happy about being away from you so you might want to get her soon_

_Just know that your mother could have been an evil mastermind if I wanted to be. _

_I love you so much, now, listen to your heart for once. _

_Love, Mom._

Maka looks up and smiles.

"You got a roommate yet?"

"Yeah they're supposed to move in this week."

Maka walks up the steps with Soul and slips a key into the door. It unlocks when she turns it and she walks right into the apartment.

"Huh?"

"Mom thinks she's funny."

"She planned all this?"

"Yeah. She has a way with manipulating things. She's a very smart lady."

"So…we live together?"

Maka turn to him with wide eyes.

"Holy shit…"

"What do we do?"

"I- I don't know."

They both just stand and look at each other for a minute.

"Lunch! Let's have lunch!"

"Yeah. Lunch sounds good. What do you want?"

"Anything's good."

"Alright. Grilled cheese?"

"Yeah, that's good."

"Good."

They walk into the kitchen and Maka sits at the table as Soul starts to get things out to cook. There is a heavy silence hanging in the air as Soul works away and Maka starts to fiddle with the hem of her jacket.

Soul serves up two plates each with a sandwich on them and carries a bottle of ketchup to the table.

"Thank you."

"No problem."

The afternoon is just as awkward as the lunch. Maka and Soul sit in the living room and watch some TV and don't do much talking.

Late in the afternoon there's a knock on the door and Soul answers it to reveal Spirit and Stein.

"Is Maka here?"

"Yeah, living room."

"Thanks."

Soul moves to let them in and they go into the room indicated.

"Hey Maka."

The blonde looks up with a smile on her face.

"Kami called me before she boarded the plane this morning. She told me everything that happened. So, we're here to help move your stuff in when it gets here."

"Thanks Papa, thanks, Stein."

"Anything for the brat."

"Hey!"

"Your stuff should be here soon…now actually."

Everyone waits and 10 minutes later another knock comes to the door.

It doesn't take long for them to move everything in, including Maka's luggage she was bringing on the plane and Blair, and when they finish they all hang around in the kitchen.

"Hey, Evans. I have a few words for you."

"Uhh, yes sir."

"No funny business with my daughter. If she says no, she means no."

"Got it."

"Good. We'll leave you to get settled then. Maka, let's do something soon, 'kay?"

"Yeah. Sounds good."

"See you later."

"Bye, Papa."

Soul and Maka resume there stalemate for a while until Soul finally speaks up.

"Y'know, nothing's really changed. We have our own rooms and we've slept together anyways. We shouldn't be overreacting like this."

"I know but you're a guy. It's weird. I have to shower and stuff and I donno…"

"I'm not a perv or anything. I won't sneak a peak and a towel should cover you up enough."

"Yeah, I guess."

"The doors have locks on them too."

Maka relaxes a little.

"Feel a little better?"

"Yeah. I do."

"Good. 'Cause we kinda got shoved into this."

"Yeah, really."

"So, what do you want to do now?"

"Kiss you."

"Well, that's pretty straight forwards." Soul says as he saunters towards her.

She meets him halfway and gently hugs him as he leans down and gentle pushes his lips to hers. The kiss is short but meaningful and when they part Maka leans her head on Soul's chest.

"I don't know what now."

"One day at a time, Maka."

"That sounds nice. I can work with that."

"Then let's."

"Can we go lie down? It's been a long day."

"Yeah, we can."

Maka threads her fingers into Soul's and they walk into the hall together. Maka stops and looks between the two bedroom doors with furrowed brows. Soul laughs lightly before scooping her up and carrying her into his room.

He lies her on the bed and lies down beside her. She cuddles into his chest and he pulls her close and wraps her up in his arms.

Soul sighs when Maka falls asleep and starts snoring lightly.

"You having crazy moods but I love them."

He kisses the top of her head and closes his eyes too, slowly letting sleep take him away.

AN:IF YOU ARE INVESTED IN THIS STORY PLEASE READ...IF NOT THEN DON'T, NOT TOO PICKY.

Hey guys. I'm actually shocked at the reviews...I am totally not in love with this story at all...seriously...I like An Ever After and Air Grigori like a thousand times better...But keep reviewing none the less because you guys are actually fantastic. There was a guest that reviewed this morning and I totally wish it wasn't a guest because I really wanted to message you back! It it's you get your ass an account and PM me!

Now! I'm moving into exams so the rate of me barfing up stories will be a hella lot slower than it is now...until the 11th...and I'm seriously low on ideas...I'm trying so hard not to make this some stereotypical romance because I'd like to think I'm more original than that...thought that plan is turning into a shit storm...I'm just trying to think of some fantastically creative way to end this story and still satisfy your guys' needs. I'm trying to throw in a lemon because people like them but honestly I'm no good at smut. I try but...try is a very general term.

If you want the smutty lemony crap then follow me because I'm writing another story at the moment and I'll be posting it in the future. It's a Soma thing but they're older so it's more matureish and I'm liking it way better than this crap up here ^ so...yeah. And this is where the try comes into play for the lemon making.

If you actually read all this you are fucking fantastic. I seriously would not have bothered...but I love you...seriously...PM me...I love people.


	10. Chapter 10

Soul wakes up to a thump on his waist. He opens his eyes to find Maka straddling it and smiling down at him with Blair perched on her shoulder.

"Morning, Soul."

"Well, you're in a good mood this today."

"I'm supposed to be in Africa right now but I woke up next to you. I feel pretty great."

Maka nudges her shoulder and Blair hops off. The cat jumps off the bed and tiptoes out of the room.

Maka leans down into Soul and moulds her lips to his. Soul can feel Maka smiling into the kiss and he pulls her down even more so her chest is pressed against his. The kiss is hot and slow and totally in Maka's control. Soul doesn't like that and quickly flips her over and pins her arms down

He caught her by surprise and she lies with her eyes just slightly wider than normal and her breathing a little hitched. Soul gives her a lingering kiss on the lips before moving to her neck. When his lips brush her soft skin she draws in a shuddering breath. He places delicate kisses down her neck and it sends shivers through her body. He reaches her collarbone and kisses across it too, leaving Maka defenceless.

Soul's alarm rings out from his bed side table and he jumps back in surprise. He gets off Maka and reaches over the edge of the bed to slam it off.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" He mumbles out.

When he turns back Maka is sitting up but leaning back on her hands and she is very much flushed.

"Do you have to shower before school?"

"Uh. Yeah."

"Bathroom's all yours. I'll make breakfast."

"O-okay." Maka gets up off the bed in a little bit of a daze and walks out of the room.

Soul sighs before changing and slumping off to the kitchen where he starts cooking.

Maka comes in later dressed and with a towel around her shoulder.

"Hm. Why do you wear so much makeup? You're so pretty without it." Soul asks as Maka takes a seat at the counter.

"Why do you wear clothes?" She shoots back automatically.

"I-"

"Same deal. I'm sure you look fine without clothes but how would you feel walking around in all your glory?"

"Not all girls wear makeup."

"No, just the insecure bitches like me who care what people think."

Soul sighs and walks over to her. He brushes a strand of wet hair from Maka's face and kisses her softly.

"I think you're beautiful either way. Just wondering why you spend the extra time everyday to do it."

"I like it."

"Then that's all that matters."

He kisses her again before going back to the stove and serving the two plates.

"I love you."

"What's this all of a sudden?" Soul asks as he sits beside her.

"I suck at cooking. Like really bad."

"Then I'll just have to teach you."

Maka smiles excitedly at him. "Yeah, can you?'

"Of course."

"Awesome!"

"You know what I'm about to say…"  
"Not cute."

Soul laughs and Maka joins in with him.

"Come on, can't _I_ call you cute? Just me?"

"No."

"You're too damn stubborn, you know that?"

"That's why you love me so shut up."

"That's _one_ of the reasons I love you. Now, eat, we've got to go soon."

"Yeah, okay."

They finish eating and grab their bags before meeting back in the hall.

"Ready?"

"Yeah."

"Hey, we could ride together from now on if you want. Would be easier."

"Then I get to drive you today." She gives him a sly smile.

"Alright, we'll take yours."

"Okay, let's go then."  
"You forgot something."

"What did I-"

Soul pulls her to his chest and kisses her. She kisses back right away and slips her tongue into his mouth. Soul pushes her up against the wall with his hips pinning her there and deepens their kiss even farther.

Maka's hands find a place buried into Soul's hair and his find hold on her hips. His hands slide up a bit and under the hem of Maka's shirt. They just graze her stomach when Maka pushes him slightly. Soul gets the message and takes a step away from her before looking dejectedly at the floor.

"Sorry."

Maka meets him again for and brief kiss and slips her hand into his.

"You did nothing wrong. Trust me. But if we start that now we're going to be late."

"Yeah. Let's go, then."

Maka holds her hand out and Soul takes it in his. They make their way from the apartment and down to the parking lot.

They get on the bike together and Maka leans back into Soul as they ride to school.

Tsubaki is already in class when they get there and she gives Maka a questioning look. Maka just shrugs as she takes her seat beside her.

She mouths to Maka 'What happened yesterday?'

'Long story.' Maka mouths back.

Stein calls the class to order and begins teaching.

When lunch finally rolls around everyone looks to Soul and Maka expectantly. When neither says anything Liz is the one to start the interrogation.

"So, what did you two do yesterday?"

"A lot happened actually."

Liz gets excited but Maka points a stern finger at her.

"Nothing like the images in your pervy gutter."

"Spit it out already!"

"Well. We sort of live together." Soul states bluntly.

"Huh?"

"My mom knew I'd end up staying. She rented the other room in Soul's apartment."

"She planned it?"

"Mom's good with reading people."

"Hmm. So, now that you live together-"

"Nope. Shut up."

"You're no fun, Maka."

"I'm dating Soul. Not you. You don't need to know what we do and don't do."

"Well, aren't you just the bucket of sass this afternoon."

"I like it." Soul says as he leans down and kisses Maka on the cheek.

Maka smiles and leans into his side.

"We kind of guessed that, Soul."

"Doesn't mean I can't say it."

"You're impossible."

"I like it." Maka chimes in.

"Ew. Gross. I'd tell you to get a room but-"

"Liz. Leave them alone. They're cute."

"Not cute!" Maka calls as she crosses her arms over her chest.

"Yeah, Tsu, she's not a big fan of being called cute." Soul sighs.

"Sorry. But you are."

Maka narrows her eyes at Tsubaki but can't hold them and they soften soon after.

"What the hell? How come Tsubaki gets away with it?!" Liz questions.

"I donno. Just can't be mad at her."

"Yo! What's with all the attention on Soul and Maka? Let's talk about me!"

And so the lunch went on as normal with the group cracking jokes and talking wildly about anything and everything they could think of.

When the bell rings they head into the school and down to their class.

"You guys go in, I'm just going to go to the washroom." Maka says as she separates her hand from Soul's.

"I'll come with you." Tsubaki says.

"You don't have to."

"I do. I've got to go to the washroom too."

"Okay, we'll see you all in a minute."

They get nods and 'okays' and Maka gets a short kiss on the lips from Soul.

Maka and Tsubaki walk quietly down the hall for a bit before Tsubaki speaks up.

"You and Soul are getting really close."

"W-we're not going too fast, are we? This morning got a little heated…"

"If you like someone does it really matter how fast you go?"

"Yeah. It does."

"Are you sure about that? If you're body and your heart both tell you the same thing then it's sometimes best to tell your head to shut the hell up."

"So it's okay to do more than just kiss?"

"How does he make you feel when he kisses you?"

"Depends. Sometimes, when he's really sweet I get flustered…which is really embarrassing, but then sometimes it's…not so sweet? And I feel hot. Like, really hot. But then I get nervous and push him away."

"I think if Black Star asked to do me right now I would."

"What?!"

Tsubaki laughs. "You don't have to go _that_ far with Soul but I'll tell you two things. Don't think of anyone else and don't think of what other people will think of you when you make a decision. Only think of what you feel and what he feels. Also, don't ever doubt Soul's intentions. You know he loves you, right?"

"Y-yeah."  
"Then don't hold anything back. Do what you want, not what you think is right or expected of you."

"I don't think I'm ready for sex yet."  
"Then don't have sex but there are other things you can do besides that. _But_ when you have sex it's just sort of going to happen. You'll know and he'll know and it'll just…y'know…happen."

Maka walks in silence for and minute then looks up to Tsubaki with a smile.

"So, did I help you?"

"Yeah, a lot actually."

They walk into the bathroom and each take a stall.

They door opens later and they can hear three girls come in.

"I can't believe Maka's still here. You almost and your chance, Claire."

"I-it's okay."

"No it's not. We need to get her greedy paws off of Soul so you can get back to flirting with him."

Maka flushes the toilet and slams her stall door open with a loud thump.

The three girls turn to Maka and their jaws drop.

"Shit."

Maka is the very essence of cool and collected. She takes her time in washing her hands and the group of three watches her confusedly.

Maka finally turns to the main girl; the same girl who started the fight with her only a couple weeks ago.

"I'd really appreciate it if you left me the fuck alone. I did nothing to you so back the fuck off."

"I-I'm just helping my friend out."

"No you're not. You're being a pain in the ass. You're the only damn thorn in my side and I want you gone. I will fight you again if you provoke me and I won't go easy on you this time."

"Y-you- e-easy?"

"Yeah. I went easy on you last time. In case Claire failed to mention I got my tailbone fractured in our gym class. But I'm all fixed up now so I won't hold back."

Tsubaki comes out of her stall and sighs heavily as she goes over to the sink.

"Maka. You don't need to worry about them. Soul won't leave you no matter what they do. We've already gone over this."

"They're seriously pissing me off though."

"They're not worth it. Now, let's go to class."

"Hm. Fine."

Maka walks out of the washroom with a huff and Tsubaki follows quickly behind her. It would be obvious to anyone watching that Maka is furious but only Tsubaki is with her in the hall.

Tsubaki grabs her wrist and stops her brash steps.

"Maka. Calm down."

"I'm fine."

"You're not. You need to stop, Maka. You can't get angry over things like this. Things like this don't even matter."

"They damn well matter! I've never had something like this. I've never had friends and I've never have someone care about me as much as Soul does. I don't want people like them taking you guys away!"

"Maka. You're an idiot. Seriously! You were fine a few minutes ago! Why the hell do you give a damn about her?!"

"Shut up." She turns her back to Tsubaki.

"Why would we give you up for some worthless trash like them? We chose each other for a reason. We grouped together for a reason, Maka, and that reason is why we will never break apart. No. You know what? You damn well know that!"

"You tell me that and I believe and I feel great but then someone says something and even though I believe you I just don't know why it's true."

"We all have a past. We all understand each other because we've all gone through something hard. We're not just making conversation; we're being there for one another in case old memories come up again."

"W-what happened to you?"

"Look at me."

Maka turns around and Tsubaki takes her hand.

"My brother was a serial killer. He killed a lot of people before I caught him one day. He tried to kill me too but didn't have the heart to and killed himself instead."

"Oh my god-"

"Yeah, it was really bad at first. I was sad all the time. Obviously, right? My brother who I loved a lot was dead. But I met these wonderful people and was surrounded by support and somehow I don't hurt as much anymore. Somehow I'm happy again."

"How?"

"Trust. I learned to trust them and trust that they'd never leave me."

Maka takes a step to Tsubaki and hugs her tightly around the waist.

"Thank you. I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry. It's hard to trust people and it's even harder to trust yourself. It took me a while to trust everyone here but it happened."

"I trust you guys. I just don't trust them."

"Don't worry about anyone else right now."

"O-okay."

"Good, now, let's go to class."

"Yeah, let's go."

Maka steps back from Tsubaki with a smile and both girls turn in the direction of their class.

Just then, Soul comes around the corner. Maka's smile brightens even more and she takes couple quick steps before she's running to him.

He grins back and catches her when she jumps into his arms. She gives him a lingering kiss before he sets her down gently on her feet.

"Hey."

"Hey."

"You were taking a long time so-"  
"Sorry, we ran into a little trouble."

"What happened?"

"Claire and her friends were in the bathroom and they pissed of your girlfriend pretty good."

"Yeah, that happened."

"Well, Maka, you don't need to give a damn about them."

"I-I know that now."

"Tsu get to ya?"

"Yeah, you could say that."

"I'm glad. Now, let's get to class, we're late."

"Yeah, okay."

The three walk to their class and get a disapproving look from Stein as they take their seats.

"Please be on time. You're disrupting the class

"Sorry Stein." Maka says first.

Stein's brows knit together but he simply shakes his head and moves on with the lesson.

Once they finish Bio they head down to the first floor for gym. They all change into their uniforms and meet Nygus in the gym.

"Alright, everyone grab a stick. We're continuing with Lacrosse today."

Soul and Maka both turn quickly to each other with a heavy smirk on their lips.

"You're going down!" Soul starts.

"You're going to suck it today!"

"Bring it, bitch!"  
"Oh, you've fucking done it now!"

"Uh, did we miss something?" Tsubaki asks with furrowed brows.

"Not much. Soul's just going to get his ass kicked today."

"As you can see, the only thing you've missed is that she's delusional."

Maka and Soul both grab a stick but their eyes never leave each other and their glares are set in stone.

"Liz, do you know what's going on?"

"I have no idea but I don't have a good feeling about it."  
"Me either."

Everyone heads outside with a stick and Nygus places a bucket of balls onto the field.

"Everyone pair up and start passing."

Soul and Maka pair up and their friends watch as the two line up a good distance away from each other. The group just watches for a moment when Maka whips a ball hard towards Soul.

"She knows he plays for the school team, doesn't she?" Kid asks.

"I would think so but he's a pretty modest guy, I don't think he'd have told her he was the Captain." Tsubaki points out.

Soul catches it and whips it back quickly.

"Poor girl." Liz concludes. "Has no idea what she-"

The hard pass it caught smoothly and sent back with ease.

"Like hell! She fucking knows what she's doing!"

"Come on. Everyone get passing." Nygus interrupts the group.

They all pair up but watch Soul and Maka as they start their own passing.

Every one of the passes from the couple is hard a crisp and is always caught with barely a swish of the netting.

They eventually move into drills which everyone has a little trouble with except Soul and Maka who execute them precisely.

They do one-on-ones next and Soul and Maka are radiating thick joy as they line up against each other.

They have to race to the ball and whoever gets there first has to get by the second person who becomes the defenseman. The defenseman has to try and take the ball so they can score on the net.

"Sorry, Maka, but I know you're a long distance runner. You don't stand a chance at a short distance like this."

"We'll see."

"Y'know if I let you win-"

"Get you're mind off my ass."

"Fine, I'll just beat you then."

"Quit egging each other. Line up." Nygus says through a light laugh and around the whistle hanging from between lips.

"Yeah. Okay."

"Lie on your backs."

"You didn't make anyone else-"

"I'm challenging you."

"This isn't challenging."

"Then I'm having fun."

Both teens grunt as they lie down.

Nygus blows the whistle and Maka flies up first with Soul just behind her. She makes sure to keep in font of him so he can't get around her and scoops up the ball that Nygus had thrown down the field.

When Maka turns back around Soul has already taken up a defensive position and she's knows she's in for a battle.

She runs at him and hits her top speed once she's there. She steps left then twice right but he anticipates her fake and cuts her off.

To anyone watching it looks like she's lost but Soul stumbles as Maka brushes past him and falls right back onto his ass. Their movements were too quick for anyone to see what exactly happened but the sight of Soul laughing on his back in the grass while Maka pelts the ball into the net confuses them all.

Maka jogs lightly over to Soul with a large smirk on her face and offers him her hand.

"You play dirty."

"Oh, I'm sorry, can't take a hit?"

Soul pulls Maka down into his chest by her hand and gives her a rough noogie. She emits squeals as she tries to wiggle her way out of his grasp and is a flustered mess when he finally lets her go.

"I think we're even now."

"No way! We're not done until you've lost. There is no 'even' crap."

"Oh, I never said we were done."

"Good." Maka quickly shoves him back and hops up.

"You-"

"I'm a bitch. I know."

"You don't know what you just got yourself into."

"Lift your shirt up."  
"No w-"

"Chicken." Maka taunts.

Soul lifts up his Tshirt to reveal the already forming bruise on his toned abs.

"Holy shit, told you she'd be good in-"

"Black Star, shut the fuck up or you're next." Maka points to him threateningly with her stick.

"Nope, I'm good."

Soul lifts himself up of the ground and takes a couple threatening steps towards Maka. She hops back the same distance with a playful smile on her lips.

"Alright, let's get a game going. Maka and Soul can be the Captains. Pick your teams.

They do exactly that and as soon as they've chosen Nygus does a face-off between the couple.

Soul wins the ball just by being taller and the game is on.

Maka and Soul never leave the other and are constantly pushing and checking each other for the rest of the period.

They end up tied at the end and this doesn't sit well with either of them.

"Nygus, we need a tiebreaker." They both say in unison.

"See who can get the ball in the net from the farthest distance. Loser runs a lap."

"Deal." They say in unison.

Maka doesn't even move from where she is and whips the ball into the net down the field. Soul takes a ball and moves farther away and gets his ball in too. They keep moving back until Maka misses. Soul opens his mouth to gloat but Maka beats him.

"You have to beat me, Soul. You haven't won yet."

Soul moves to beside Maka and takes his shot. It bounces off the side of the net and doesn't go in.

"Alright, two laps each."

"What?!" They shout together.

"You both lost so you get to do two laps each."

Maka takes off with a smile. "Race ya!"

"Cheater!" Soul yells as he takes off after her.

"Alright, we can all head in. Everyone go get changed."

Soul and Maka end up just running together. They give each other a light shove everyone once in a while and laugh and joke the whole time they run. Near the end of their second lap Maka jumps onto Soul's back and he laughs at her enthusiasm as he crosses the finish line.

He spins around once before dropping her legs and letting her drop off his back. He quickly turns on her and pulls her waist to his. He gives her a soft kiss on the lips.

"Ready to go home?"

"Yeah, let's go."

They quickly go in and change and meet in the hall. Soul takes Maka's hand in his and they walk out to the parking lot together.

Kid and the girls are just leaving and they wave as they pull out of the lot in Kid's car.

Soul and Maka get on Maka's bike and Maka presses back into Soul's chest as she starts the engine. Soul wraps an arm around Maka's waist and rests his other hand on her thigh as she takes off out of the lot.

Maka drives leisurely and both just enjoy the wind blowing on their faces.

When they reach the apartment they get off and head in together. They go up to their floor and Maka pulls out her keys and opens up the door.

They walk into the hall and just drop all their stuff at the door; their bags and jackets fins homes on the floor and on the bench by the door.

"Well, now I know you're just as messy as me."

"Sorry, I-"

"Don't be. I'd rather you be messy than too clean and nag me all the time."

"Fair enough."

"Now…there's something I want to do."

"What is it?'

Soul pulls Maka to him and kisses her briefly.

"There have been a couple things I've wanted to do all day that I might not be able to get away with with an audience."

He kisses her again but doesn't pull away this time. Instead he waits for Maka to kiss back. And she does. She snakes her arms around his neck and moves her lips against his with passion. It doesn't take them long to find their way into the same position as this morning.

Maka is pushed up against the door as they continue to kiss. Soul slips his hand under Maka's shirt and she tenses up considerably. Soul pulls back from her and blushes.

"Sorry. Too fast?"

Maka takes only a moment to come up with her answer and looks up to Soul with a warm smile.

"No."

"You hesitated."

"I'm nervous, that's all."

"Are you su-"

Maka pulls him down into another kiss. He falls easily into the slow and sensual pace and draws Maka's body back to his.

Maka pushes him back but follows. After a moment of leading he understands and simply scoops Maka up and carries her into his room. Their lips never part, even when he lays her onto the bed and climbs on top of her.

Maka grips his Tshirt and Soul slips his hand back under her shirt. He just rests it on the smooth skin of her stomach as he finally removes his lips from Maka's and begins kissing down her neck.

His kisses all the way to her collar before grazing his teeth over the bone. Make gives of a sweet half-moan and Soul bites down lightly. Maka entwines her hands into Soul's hair as shivers run down her spine.

Soul nibbles down Maka's chest leaving a tingling trail and slows as he nears her cleavage.

Maka's breathing deepens and Soul places a soft kiss on the top of Maka's breast. He then licks from the edge of her blouse across the curve.

He moves both hands up to the front of Maka's blouse and undoes the first button.

Maka pulls his face back up to hers by his hair and she reinitiates their fiery kiss.

Soul slips his tongue into her mouth and starts undoing the rest of the buttons of her shirt. Once they're undone he leans back to look her over.

"S-Soul! Don't d-do that!"

"What?"

"Look at me like that." She turns her head to the side and away from him.

"You're beautiful, Maka. I always just want to look at you. I just want to love you and be with you and look at you. I want to touch you and I want to feel your heart beat against mine."

Maka blushes and it goes all the way down her chest. She looks back up and meets his eyes. She reaches out to him and he takes her hand in his before kissing her knuckles lovingly.

They take it slow from then on. The lust that drove them at the beginning has morphed into something sweet and sensual.

Soul caresses Maka's face as he comes down into a soft kiss. He slides his hand down to her neck and supports it as he slowly deepens the kiss; his tongue slipping in and dancing along Maka's instead of fighting with it.

His hand slides further and traces down the side of Maka's ribs and stops just underneath the band of her bra.

He glides it along the band and to just under the cup before placing his whole hand delicately over a breast. His rough fingers tickle the soft flesh peaking over the top of the bra and his thumb rubs in small, feathery circles on the side.

Soul uses his other hand to guide Maka up into a sitting position and take off her blouse. He gentle lies her back down with his hand still behind her back and he unclips the band of her bra in one motion.

With the hand that never left her breast he takes it off the garment and brings his hand back.

Their kiss slows even more as Soul feels her breast. He can feel the heavy rise and fall of her lungs and the steady beating of her heart beneath his hand and it makes his stomach flip.

Soul squeezes lightly and moves his hand to brush his thumb over her nipple. Maka's breath hitches once and her hands that were locked into his hair soon after begin their journey down.

They find the hem of Soul's shirt and they tug it upwards. He only briefly removes himself from her body to let her pull it over his head but he finds his way back none the less.

Maka lies her palms flat of Soul's chest and runs them along the smooth and toned muscles all the way down to his protruding hip bones.

Soul eases out of the kiss and opens his eyes to meet Maka's. They share a silent communication before Soul's gives her another chaste kiss and inches down so he can kiss her neglected breast.

He closes his lips around her nipple and sucks on it. He eventually switches and sucks onto the other one as Maka grips onto his shoulders.

Soul pulls back and takes a hand to kiss it again. He moves from his straddling position to a kneeling one between Maka's legs.

He unbuttons her short and unzips them then slides them down her legs. He takes a leg and kisses all the way from her ankle to her inner thigh and moves back down to do the same to the other. When he reaches the top of her other thigh he continues his kisses up her stomach, across her ribs and up along her neck. He reaches his final destination and presses his lips against Maka's soft ones.

Maka's hands glides down Soul's chest and find the top of his jeans. She takes his belt and undoes it before moving onto the button and then the zipper. She tugs his jeans off his hips and once she gets them to his knees he helps take them off the entire way. There's a pause. Just barely there but showing that both don't really know what they're doing. They both know what comes next but not what comes after. What happens when they are before each other is the most vulnerable of ways?

But the moment passes.

And then.

Maybe she just knew. And he just knew. And maybe something just happened.

They simply follow their bodies and their hearts.

The remains of their clothing are discarded and both teens ready themselves for the other.

The next kiss is airily soft with fingers brushing cheeks and hair.

Soul finally takes Maka's hand in his as he hovers over her.

They look right into each other's eyes as he pushes into her. She gasps a little and Soul holds back a grunt as he pushes into the tightness.

Soul pushes all the way in slowly but Maka jumps back in pain as something tears.

"Maka…"

Her eyes are closed tight and a tear slips out.

"I thought you said-"

"I thought so too."

"Maybe you really did hold back when you were-"

"I felt different after, though."

"M-maybe they just touched you."

Maka smiles and it makes Soul relax just a little.

"Y'know, after a while of knowing you I was a little upset that it wasn't going to be you."

"And now it is."

"Yeah, now it is."

"I'm glad it's you for me."

She opens her eyes again to reveal the glossy bright greens.

She squeezes his hand and he squeezes back. He kisses her just as before and rests his forehead on hers.

He pulls almost all the way out and slowly pushes back in. Maka's breathing deepens and her grip on Soul's hand tightens slightly.

Soul continues on in this slow pace and only picks it up when Maka relaxes and a small moan slips from her lips.

He gets a good pace going and Maka's heavy breathing has turned into airy pants. Her back is slowly arching off the bed and Soul can feel himself getting close. A bead of sweat runs along the side of his face and his own pants join Maka's.

He quickens even more near the end and Maka moans out his name as her whole body seems to tighten around him.

Soul gets his release too and it's all he can do to move beside her before lying down.

Maka turns to Soul and her laboured breath mixes with his own. Their hands are still entwined tightly and Soul uses that to pull Maka into a chaste kiss.

"Soul."

"Yeah?"

"I'm happy. You make me really happy."

"You make me happy, too. I didn't know I could ever feel this good until I met you."

Maka wiggles her way closer to Soul and he pulls a blanket over them before wrapping his arms around her.

They fell asleep sometime later and when they woke up again it was dark out.

"Mmm. Soul?"

"Yeah."  
"W-what time is it?"

He looks over her head at the alarm clock and lies back down.

"Seven."

"I'm hungry."

Soul chuckles softly and Maka smiles at the sound.

"You would be…hmm, how about we go cook something together."

"Yeah!"

"Woah! I'm not awake enough for yelling yet!"

"Sorry!"

Soul pulls Maka's face to his chest when she tries to protest her pleads are just quiet muffles.

"Shhh…just chill a minute."

She grumbles but relaxes and a few minutes later they get up together.

Maka steals Soul's Tshirt form the floor and slips it over her head and Soul pulls on a pair of sweatpants from the floor.

"Wow. I never realized how…small you were. You're so cute."

The Tshirt falls over her slim frame and almost to her knees.

"I can still kick your ass…and don't call me cute."

"Whatever. Now let's get cooking."

"Yeah."

The head out to the kitchen in their messy-haired, half-dressed state and Soul starts pulling things out.

"Want chicken curry?"

"Mmm. Yes please."

"Then can you grab the rice from that cupboard over their?"

"Yeah."

They spend more time laughing and throwing things at each other but an hour later they still have a meal prepared.

"So, how did we do?"

"Besides there being more peas than rice in the rice and the chicken chunks being everything from Hawaii to Russia in size we did good."

"Hey this was the first ti-"

"You did awesome for your first time cooking. I just like picking on you because you pout and it's cute."

Maka growls.

"And then you get sassy when I call you cute and you get even damn cuter."

"Fuck you."

"Shut up and eat."

Maka picks up her spoon and quickly turns it on Soul.

"You! Spoon!"

"Yes, I've caught on that my girlfriend won't eat rice without a spoon. It's no big deal."

"I've never said anything."

"I'm always watching you. I noticed."

Maka smiles bashfully and Soul smiles back. He points with his chin and Maka finally takes a scoop of rice and sauce and eats some.

Soul starts eating too and the couple look up at each other every once in a while during their quite meal.

They clean the kitchen together when they finish and Maka yawns and stretches.

"Tired already?"

"It's been a crazy couple days. I'm just _still_ tired."

"Let's go watch TV for a bit then go to bed."

"Yeah. Okay."

They walk into the living room where Blair is napping on the couch and do exactly that. They cuddle close on one side of the couch, leaving Blair undisturbed, and watch a couple episodes of Criminal minds before heading off to bed together.

They end up in Maka's room and fall asleep in each other's arms.

AN: Guys! I'm sorry this took so damn long! I was crazy busy at first but then I just couldn't writ the damn thing. I think I rewrote it four times and I think I'm satisfied with his one.

I really was trying to avoid them having sex yet but I could't find a way to have them just do stuff, then stop and have it feel right. Everytime I wrote it out it just felt awkward...

_Anyways..._ Thank you guys for all the wonderful reviews from last chapter and I hope you love this one too!


	11. Chapter 11

"Maka."

"Mmm."

"Yo! Wake up."

"Whhhat?!"

"Maka, about yesterday-"

"What about it?"

"The part where we had sex!"

"What about it?"

"Can you look at me?"

"No. I ain't movin'"

Soul turns her to face him but she keeps her eyes closed.

"We had sex, Maka, and we didn't use anything."

"What do you mean?"

"Are you even awake?"

"No."

Soul grumbles under his breath before talking normally. "We didn't use a condom."

"So?"

"What do you mean 'so?'"

"Got the fuck back to sleep. I'm on birth control."

Soul goes to say something but Maka smacks her hand over his mouth.

"Shut up."

Soul lets out a heavy breath and pulls Maka into his chest. They drift off back to sleep and don't wake again until Maka's alarm goes off

Maka lazily rolls over and slams it off before burying herself back into the confines of her comforter.

"You are seriously the worst for waking up."

"Go away." She mumbles out from her cocoon.

"Hmm. I don't think so."

Soul pulls the covers over his head to and crawls over so he's straddling Maka. He leans down and kisses her hotly on the lips.

"Ma-ka! I think it's time for you to get up now."

"Mm. No. I just want to stay in bed."

"We have more lacrosse today. I'm definitely going to kick your ass."

Maka's eyes slowly open right into a glare.

"You're delusional."

"Hm, baby, I don't think so."

"The fuck did you just call me?"

"Don't like it?"

"Definitely not!"

"What y'gunna do 'bout it?"

Maka pushes him off her to the side and gets up and off the bed quickly.

"Asshat!"

"Cutie."

"Dickface!"

"Honey bear."

"God, you're so fucking disgusting!"

"Aww, muffin!"

"Get your gay ass out so I can get dressed!"

"Let me just grab my shirt."

He comes up to her and takes the hem of the shirt and slips it over her head before she can stop him. Her arms dart to cover her chest but Soul is quick to take her against the wall and pin her arms above her head.

"Really? After yesterday you're trying to cover up?"

"It's just reflexes I guess."

Soul traces a finger up Maka's hip and stomach. He stoops down and pushes his lips to hers and she responds right away by snaking her tongue out and into his mouth.

He doesn't stay long and backs away quickly from Maka. He flings his Tshirt over his shoulder and walks to the door.

He turns back as Maka slumps to her knees and smirks.

"Be quick, I'm making breakfast."

She's still breathing heavily and is very much flushed but she manages to narrow her eyes at him.

"Damn you, Evans."

She can hear him chuckle softly as he makes his way down the hall and she growls lowly.

"God damn it…y'know what? He's going to regret that."

Maka picks herself up and goes into her closet. She quickly finds her shortest pleated skirt; a red and black plaid one, and a sort of thin strapped, midriff showing, tight, black top.

"Yeah. He's definitely going to regret that."

She goes to her dresser and fishes through to find her best push-up bra and its matching panties; which happens to be black and red lacy and very see through.

She gets dressed and walks over to her mirror. She teases her hair and puts on her regular makeup before heading out to the kitchen where Soul is just serving up breakfast.

"It's read- wow."

"What?" She asks nonchalantly.

"You look hot."

"Really? I look the same as normal." She furrows her brows at him.

"You're always hot."

"Thanks. Not so bad yourself."

Maka takes a seat at the table and Soul sits beside her.

"Thank you. Breakfast looks good."

"No problem."

They eat rather quietly but comfortably and when they finish Soul goes to get dressed and they both grab their bags. They head out and Soul locks the door before they walk down to the parking lot.

"My turn to drive today."

"Holy fuck! It's fucking cold as tits out!" Maka yells as she pulls her jacket tightly around herself and does it up.

"Yeah, it is pretty cold this morning…but y'know, it is fall."

"It got so cold so fast though!"

"Here, let me keep you warm." Soul opens his arms to her with smirk.

"Just get on the bike, Eater."

"Yes, boss."

"Don't be a smartass." Maka thumps him in the side of the leg with her bag.

"You're being awfully pushy to the guy that just made you breakfast. Don't I get anything for my efforts?"

Maka hops up and gives him a quick peck on the lips. "Only because I love you, now, let's go to school."

"Alright, I'm coming."

They both get on the bike together and Maka wraps her arms loosely around Soul's waist. When they take off she lets them relax and slide down more to where one hand is resting on the inside of Soul's thigh. She feels him tense up and she smirks. _This is going to be a long day for you._

When they get to school Maka makes sure her hand grazes his groin as she lets go and gets off the bike.

"Ma-ka." Soul growls out as he gets off the bike and turns to face her.

"Mhm?"

"You're getting a little close, now, aren't you?"

"Hm? After last night you think that was close?"

"It's too close for the little amount of places I could take you."

"You're no fun at all."

She turns quickly on her heel so her skirt flutters up and starts walking towards the school.

"Damn woman." Soul mutters as her hurries to catch up with her.

He slips his arm low around her waist and rests his hand on the top of her ass.

"Thought you said I was too close? Now, look at you."

"I'm just making sure that all the guys know that you and everything under that skirt are mine. Don't want any trouble when you try and make your way up the stairs, now, do we?"

"I'm the definition of trouble."

"Yes, you are. And don't you ever change that."

They get to the stairwell and start walking up. It isn't long before she feels someone flip her skirt up. She turns quickly and does a hard roundhouse. Luckily they aren't far from the bottom so Black Star only falls down a couple steps.

"Really?!"

"You were asking for it with that skirt." He says as he rubs his cheek.

"Black Star. You're an idiot." Tsubaki sighs out as she offers him a hand.

"Sorry, just the easiest way to harass Maka right now. Sorry for being a pervert." He takes her hand and she pulls him up and Soul and Maka just stare in awe.

"Did you just say sorry for being a pervert?"

"Yeah, man, your girlfriend's a pretty smart lady and maybe I decided to try and listen to her."

"Finally decided to grow up?"

"Yeah. Maybe." He gives two thumbs up and a large grin.

They all continue up the stairs and when they get to the sixth floor Black Star leaves them and goes to hi own class while Tsubaki, Maka, and Soul head into theirs.

Stein dissects something in Biology so no one really pays attention but near the end of class he announces another test for the following Friday.

Maka spent most of the class with her hand not so casually in Soul's lap and with him sending her death glares.

"I'll see you two at lunch."

"Yupp. See you then, Tsubaki." Maka smiles and waves.

Tsubaki heads down the hall the opposite way as Soul and Maka and the couple heads towards the stairs.

"Maka…" Soul whispers low into Maka's ear. "You're killing me here."

"Hm?" She looks innocently at him and tilts her head sideways in feign confusion.

"God damn woman." He grumbles as he walks ahead of her and shakes his head.

Maka smirks before catching up to him and sliding her hand into his.

She squeezes it once gently and he squeezes it back.

They go down to the fourth floor and into their music class. Soul brings Maka's hand up and kisses is before letting go and taking a seat at the piano. Maka goes to the back and grabs out her cello before taking a seat amongst her section.

Marie comes in and starts and they play just like any other day.

When class finishes Soul gives Maka a look and she knows what he means. She puts away the cello and grabs out a smaller case before going over and taking a seat on the piano bench beside Soul. This is something they started doing awhile back and now they do it quite often.

The rest of the class leaves and so does Marie.

"So, what do you want to play?"

"You."

"Funny…" Maka elbows him in the ribs.

Soul sighs and leans over to kiss her on the cheek. "I don't know. You pick."

"Don't Stop Believing?"

"Really?"

"Sure. It's fun and it's super popular again right now."

"Yeah, alright."

"You can start."

"Then you have to sing."

"You do two! There's two parts!"

"Fine, fine, we'll sing together."

They have their little jam session and Maka leans against Soul's shoulder when they finish. She makes sure her chest is out and clearly visible in his peripheries.

"I have a feeling you've been doing that on purpose."

"Doesn't matter. Still works either way."

Soul takes the violin from Maka and sets it into its case along with the bow. He's quickly on her with a hand each on her waist and neck.

He tries to kiss her but she hugs him and leans her face onto his shoulder.

"What the hell?!"  
She tilts her head up and takes the lobe of his ear between her teeth and tugs on it gently. She removes herself from him and jumps up off the bench.

"I'm hungry. Let's go eat."

"God damn it…you're teasing me!"

She bends over to shut the violin case and pick it up and makes sure Soul gets a nice view of ass before she stands up straight and goes to put the instrument away.

Soul growls lowly and gets up to meet her at the back.

"Not so fast."

"Hm?"

He pushes her against the shelves and sides a hand over her ass.

"You're not getting away with that one."

He takes her chin in his other hand and finally meets her lips with his. He kisses her with need and slides his hand down then up the back of her skirt.

"M-Soul!"

"What?" Soul leans back a bit and looks at her face.  
"Get off! We're at school!"

"Didn't stop you."

"I'm not groping you-"

"You've been groping me all day!"

"Have not!"

Soul gives her the 'bullshit' look and she glares back at him.

"You haven't exactly been K rated. Not since…this morning! Really? You're doing this because of me teasing you this morning? Where the hell is that going to get you? All it damn well means is that we're not going to make it home before I jump you!"

"Not my fault you can't keep it in your pants."

"You didn't deny it."

"Maybe I was a little upset that you did that to me but now I'm just having fun."

"You're an awful vixen."  
"Hm. Does that mean I get to bite?"  
"Do what ever the hell you want as long as you do something."

"You really doin' that bad right now?"

"Yes. As uncool as it is."

"You'll just have to wait until we get home."  
"You're the devil."  
"Let me go so we can go eat."  
Soul leans his forehead onto Maka's.

"You'll be the death of me."  
He removes his hand from beneath her skirt and takes her hand instead.

"Let's go."  
Maka smirks as she leads him from the room and to the Café before going up to the roof where everyone else is waiting.

"What took you two so long?"  
"We played together after class."

"Yahoo! Good job Soul!"

"Music class!" Maka shouts exasperatedly.

"Whatever." Black Star doesn't look convinced.

"What did we miss?" Maka asks.  
"Nothing really. Just that we're planning an end of semester party." Kid states.  
"Isn't that a little soon?"

"Well, we want it planned _before_ we go into exams, that way we won't have to worry about it and we can actually get some studying done."

"That's a pretty smart idea, actually."

"So, you two are coming then?"  
"Yeah, of course."  
Soul nods in agreement. "Yeah, should be cool."  
"Perfect."

"So, what did the roomies get up to last night?" Liz questions.

Soul and Maka catch each others eyes for just moment and Maka leans in just a little closer to Soul.

"Soul taught me how to make chicken curry!"  
"You can't make chicken curry?"

"I- I sort of can't cook at all." She scratches the back of her head in mock embarrassment.

"What? What the hell?"

"I never learned to cook. Too busy doing…other things."

"Right, sorry. So, Soul, you're teaching her?"  
"Yeah, she- uh- she's got a special way of doing things."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?!" Maka protests.

"You get things right somehow but I have no idea how the hell you do it the way you do it."

"I still don't get it."

"Well, besides those damn peas you got every other damn measurement right without using a measuring cup. You got the rice right!"

"Okay, that's pretty impressive, Maka. Patty screws it up half the time even when she uses the cups."

"I guess I'm just good at sizes. And you damn well know I only messed up the peas because you came up behind me when I was pouring them it the pot!"

"Not my fault you scare easily. I had to put the chicken in the pan."

"I know. But don't blame me for it either."  
"Maka scares easily?"

"Black Star, get that stupid grin off your face before I punch it off!" Maka turns on him with a stern finger.

"Woah! Just asking a question!" He puts his hand up in surrender.

"Better be." She growls out.

"Maka, calm down." Soul whispers gently in her ear.

"Sorry."

"Don't be. I like your fire…just don't go overboard with your friends."

"Got it." She looks up at him with a smile.

"You gunna eat? You said you were hungry."

"Yeah." She sits down and leans against the balcony's railing before unwrapping her sandwich.

Soul sits beside her and unwraps his own.

Everyone chats and eats for the rest of lunch then heads to Bio as a group. After Bio they head down to gym and Maka and Soul are already fighting before they even reach the change rooms. They glare at each other before going to change.

"You guys are, like, the weirdest couple ever." Liz says as they enter the girl's change room.  
"So? I like it."  
"I didn't say it was bad. I've just never seen a couple be such good _friends_."

"We just get along well, I guess."

"You know that saying where they say you have two of everything except your heart because you have to find the person with the other one?"

"Except you have one stomach. And one appendix. And one-"

"I get the point! You just ruined something super cute!"

"Continue then."

"I was just going to say that if there really is only one person in the world you're meant for I think you and Soul are meant for each other."

"I think I'd like to believe that."

The girls finish changing and meet the guys in the gym.

"Grab a stick, Maka, we've got a score to settle."  
"I'm on it."  
Gym goes exactly the same as yesterday. Exactly the same to the point where Maka and Soul have to run two laps together.

"God dammit."

"I'll beat you by the end of the week. Don't worry." Maka pants out once they finish their run.

"Don't get your hopes up."

"Let's just go home for now. I'm tired."  
"Yeah. Me too actually."

They walk to the parking lot hand-in-hand and climb onto Soul's bike together. Maka hugs Soul around the waist and rests her cheek on his back as he drives through the city and to their apartment.

When they get off Soul scoops Maka up into his arms and easily carries her up the stairs to their floor. She laughs lightly and hugs him around the neck even when he sets her down outside the door to open it. He walks in and she walks backwards still against his chest and in step with him.

"I was so determined to do something to you when we got home but I just kinda want to lie down now."  
"We went at lacrosse pretty hard today."

"Yeah. Want to just watch some TV then?"  
"Sounds good. How about DxD cause we missed it Sunday night when we went to Kid's"  
"Yeah. I have it taped."  
They go into the living room and lie down together and Soul pulls a blanket off the top of the couch and over them.

They watch DxD then a sequence of shows afterwards and until it's time to make dinner. Soul lazily makes them grilled cheese sandwiches and they eat them on the couch as they watch yet another show.

"We really should do some homework. And we have that Bio test next week."

"I suppose you're right…"

:But you don't want to."  
"Not at all."

"We'll do it together and share answers. Sound good?"

"Yeah. Good plan."

They grab their homework out and finish it before heading off to bed. They choose Soul's room for the night and snuggle down together.

"I don't know why I'm so god damn tired." Maka says before yawning.

"Me either. I feel like a bag of lead."

"I'm cold too."  
"Well, it's a few degrees colder in the apartment 'cause of the weather."

"Alright. Just stay close tonight."

"I'm good with that. Night, love."

"Night, Soul. Love you."  
"Yeah, love you too."

He kisses her on the forehead and closes his eyes. They fall asleep quickly and in each other's arms, though their night isn't a peaceful one.

AN: Alrighty! Here it is! I finally have a plan for this story so it should start moving! Buuut, I don't know when I can get the next chapter up...this one was a fluke...I should be studying but yet here I am on this wonderful site that started to consume my browser history.

I hope you like it because I have really grown to like you guys. You're all fanstastic and some of your reviews make me laugh my ass off and some just make my day :)

And I forgot to comment in the last AN about that people like this because Maka's a badass in it. Well Maka freaking is a badass! I could literally write an essay about all the badass things she does (like when she can't cut through Free's tail and she headbutts Soul for more power). And I love you people for knowing she is...it really pisses me off when people say she's just a cry baby. Dudde. She has a reason to cry, let her damn well cry if she wants to.

(I feel like I need a signature here because people always have signatures down here but my account name is lame and I feel like a signature would just...)


	12. Chapter 12

Soul woke up to an empty bed. It still dark out and he figures he woke up because he heard Maka leaving. He gets out of bed and walks out into the hall. He hears the toilet flush and sighs before going back to his bed.

He lies and waits for Maka to come back but after a few silent minutes she still hasn't come.

He gets back up and heads down the hallway to the bathroom where he finds the door cracked open slightly but the lights off.

"Maka?"

"Yeah?"  
"Can I come in?"

"No."

"Are you alright?"

"Yes."

"You don't sound fine. I'm coming in."

"Then why the hell did you ask?"

He pushes the door open and steps into the dark room.

"Light?"

"Please no."

"Alright, where are you?"

He looks around for her figure but can't see anything.

"Floor. Left side."

He shuffles slowly forwards and reaches down until he comes into contact with the hand that she's outstretched.

"Seriously, what are you doing in here?"

"I'm sick."

"Why didn't you bloody well tell me that in the first place?"

"Because I can take care of myself. You should just go back to bed."

"It doesn't matter if you _can_ take care of yourself you should let people help you. Now, what's wrong?"

"I'm fine for now. I threw up and I'm hot but I feel a little better now."

Soul kneels down and places a hand over Maka's forehead.

"You definitely have a fever. This must be why you were so tired yesterday."

"You should stay away. I don't want you to get sick too."  
"I've probably already got it so it's alright."  
"No. You stay away. Just in case."  
"Not happening. Now, are you okay to stand?"

"Y-yeah. I should be."

Soul takes her hand in his and wraps his other arm around her waist. She leans her forehead onto his chest as he eases her up.

"How you doin'?"

"I'm a bit dizzy but I'll manage."

"You going to throw up again?"

"No. Not right now at least."

"Good. Let's get you back to bed then I'll grab you some drugs."  
"Don't say it like that! You make it sound like-"  
"How many times have you done pot?"

"Just a few. I'm no druggy, that's for sure."  
"I'd like to see you high one day."

"We'll make a day out of it."

Soul leads Maka back into his room and gets her settled on the bed.

"That sounds fun, now, chill for a minute."

"'Kay."

He leaves and comes back a few minutes later with a bucket, a small box and a glass of water. He takes a foil sheet out of the box and pops out two pills before handing them too Maka with the glass of water.

"Hopefully you can keep these down."

She nods before taking the pills and swallowing them.

"You must be tired."

"Exhausted."

"Me too. Let's get back to sleep."

"Okay."

Soul lies down on the opposite side of Maka as the bucket.

"Are you still hot?"

"No. I'm freezing now."  
"Oh, the joys of the flu."

"Shut up."

"Yeah, yeah, let's go back to sleep."

Soul scootches in behind her and hugs her loosely.

"Okay, love you."

"Love you too."

Maka wakes up and heaves into the bucket beside the bed.

"Ick. Disgusting."

She takes the glass of water from the bed-side table and takes a long sip. She lies back down and rolls over to find an empty bed.

"Soul?"

She looks around the dark room but can't see anything so she gets up from the bed and leaves the bedroom. She makes a beeline to the washroom and swings the door open heavily.

"Soul."

"Morning, Maka."

"It's not morning yet."

"Just thought I'd get up early-"

"You're sick too."

"Of course. What did you expect?"

"Where are you?"

"Same place you were."  
Maka shuffles over and reaches out to him. She finds his shoulder and takes a seat beside him.

"I told you you'd get sick."

"It takes longer than a couple hours to get sick. Miss smartass, you should know that I would have to have been sick already to be throwing up now."

"Now what do we do?"

"I think I'm good to go back to bed."

"Then let's go. I'll grab you a water and you can take some drugs too. Where'd you leave the bottle?"

"It's on my dresser."

"Okay."

Maka and Soul help each other up and Soul rinses his mouth out in the sink before going back to his room.

Maka's already there with a glass of water and two pills in her hands.

"Eat up big boy."  
"God, you're so weird."

Maka gives him a mock glare and whacks him on the shoulder as soon as he empties her hand o the pills.

"Never said weird was bad."

"Never said it was good."  
"It's good."

"Hurry up. I'm tired."

"You can get in bed already. I'll be all of two seconds."

Maka huffs and crawls back onto the bed. Soul takes the pills and some water before crawling in along with her.

"Hot or cold?"  
"Cold."

"Me too."  
Maka turns and Soul can just see her smile in the moonlight before she cuddles into his chest.

They fall asleep quickly and don't wake again for some time.

The alarm clock rings out in the room and Soul reaches over Maka to whack it off. He lies back down and pulls Maka tight to his chest.

"So, my little devil, how are you feeling?"

"Hell of a lot better than earlier. What about you?"

"Same."

"Wait…what the fuck did you just call me?"

Two cold green eyes glare up at him.

"My little devil. Problem?"

"Stop calling me weird things!" She says with a pout.

"Stop being so cute then?"

"Devils are cute?"

"If they're you they are."

"I hate you."

"You're damn cute when you pout like that too."

She growls out lowly and is met with a smirk.

"And that's cute too."

"I will hurt you."

"If it really bothered you I'd be on my ass on the floor already."

"I like you enough to give you a chance to shut up."  
"And I like you enough to keep telling you nice things _despite_ the actually words coming out of your mouth. You're cute, and beautiful and firey and a hell of a lot more amazing things and I will call you each and everyone of them a thousand times and then a thousand times more until you damn well get that I think you're fucking amazing."

Maka looks up at him with teary eyes and he panics.

"Oh shit! Maka, sorry! What's wrong?!"  
"Nothing, you big idiot!"

Then why are you crying?!"  
"'Cause I love you!"  
"Well, I love you too but that's nothing to cry about!"  
Maka hugs him tightly and buries her face into his chest.

Soul sighs and hugs her tighter. "Did you realize you were being an idiot? And that you need to chill out and _let_ me love you?"

"Maybe." She mumbles out from her spot in his shirt.

"I think I'm getting more and more used to your little outbursts."

"And I think I'll be able to get used to you calling me names."

"Been calling you names since day one."  
"First word out of your mouth was 'bookworm.'"

"'Cause I was a damn idiot and didn't know I'd fall in love with the bookworm."

"And I didn't know I'd fall in love with the virgin-boy."

"Hm. The thing is, I can still call you a bookworm but you can't call me-"  
"You suck."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever."

Maka sigh into Soul's chest and they lie in silence for a few minutes.

"Hey, Soul?"

"Yeah?"

"Are we going to school today?"  
"I think us both having the flu is a good excuse to stay home."  
"Even though we're feeling better?"

"Maybe we'll just skip the morning. Sleep a little longer?"

"Sounds good to me. Though- Fuck."  
Maka jumps from the bed and runs from the room. Soul jumps up and chases her out only to reach her in time to see her hugging the toilet and throwing up in it. He goes to her and pulls her hair back from her face.

"Maybe we won't be going this afternoon."

Maka leans back into Soul. "Maybe not."  
"You okay?"  
"Not yet."  
"Then I guess we'll just sit here a little longer."  
"No. Go away."  
"You don't sound very convincing."

"Forgive me if I'm using my focus right now on trying not to throw up and not on trying to get rid of you because it's bloody weird for you to be here while I throw up."

"I've seen you naked. This shouldn't embarrass you."  
Maka elbows him lightly in the ribs.

"I don't want anyone, even you, to see me like this."  
"Like what?"

"Weak. Sick. Tired."  
"I've seen you weak and tired and it makes me love you all the more. Knowing that you can be weak and tired but are so strong and cunning all the same makes me love you. I admire it so much."

Maka sighs out and takes Soul's hand in hers.

"I should be the one telling you that I love you. I'm so used to second guessing everything and being hateful towards everything, especially myself, but then you're always their to help me. You always seem to know what I need to hear and it's not just that…you don't just say them because I need to hear them; I can tell you actually mean them too."

"You don't realize what you do for me?"  
"I don't do anything."  
"You love me. I've always been short on love."

"I don't believe that. You always have girls trying to get with you."  
"They don't know me. They want me for my looks and my family. They don't really care about who I am. My own parents don't even love me."  
"What about Star and Tsu and all of them?"  
"They're friends and, yeah, I'm damn lucky to have them but they're just friends. They helped me out of a dark place but there was always something, some hole, that they could never fill. I've still been missing something until you came along."

"Then haven't you been doing the same for me and plus some?"

"Maybe but someone helped me out and then I helped you and now one day you'll go and help someone else who is hurting just like you were. It's a circle, or a chain if you will. It's how we keep each other going."  
"So I'm supposed to help someone?"  
"Don't force it though. Someone will come along one day and you'll just feel and know you have to help them."  
"So, that's what happened to you?"  
"Yeah. I felt it and I knew I had to help you. Falling in love with you was just a bonus."

"I think I can do that."  
"I know you can."

"Thank you."  
"I didn't do anything."  
"You know exactly what you did."  
"I just told you the truth."  
"And the truth is that I love you."  
"And I love you too."

"I think I'm feeling better."

"In which way?"  
"Both."

"That makes me happy to hear."

"You make me happy."  
"Then let's be happy together."  
"I'm cool with that."  
"Good." Soul kisses her on the cheek.

Maka starts to get up and Soul helps her to stand. Maka turns and hugs him around the waist and he hugs her back gently.

"Now, just because I may help you out more doesn't mean I don't know you'd be willing to do all you could to help me if I needed it."

"I get it now."  
"Just making sure. I'd rather tell you a hundred reasons more than you need to hear than one less than you need."

She hugs him tighter and he reciprocates.

"Let's get you back to bed. You still look tired."  
"I am and I know you are too."  
"It's been a hellish night."

"That's for sure."

Soul helps her up and holds her when she wavers slightly and she goes to the sink to brush her teeth and wash her mouth out.

He keeps an arm around her waist as they head back to his room and holds her hand as she climbs on the bed.

"How come you're feeling better but you get sick second?"  
"You're a lot smaller than I am. Must take longer for your body to get rid of it."  
"I suppose that would make sense."  
"And you've been stressed a lot lately so maybe your body hasn't quite gone back to normal."  
"I thought I was supposes to be the smart one."

"Never said I wasn't smart. I'm just too lazy to do the work."

"So, you did so poorly on out last test because-"  
"I was too busy watching you study to do any studying of my own."  
"That wasn't what I was going to say."  
"It' true though."

"I did catch you staring a few times…"

Soul lies down beside Maka and pulls her to his chest. Maka yawns into his shirt and he chuckles lightly.

"Sleep now, Love."  
"Mm. Love you too."

They fall asleep and don't wake up until later in the afternoon.

Maka awakes to Soul playing softly with her hair and she just lies and lets him continue.

"I know you're awake now."  
"Huh? How?"  
"Your breathing changes."

She rolls over to face him and cuddles back into his chest.

"How's my girl doing?"

"She's feeling a lot better. Thank you."

"Good. I'd hate for my little love bunny to be sick any longer."  
"Okay, I'm trying to get used to the names but I will never agree to being called your 'love bunny.'"

"But you _are _my little love bunny."

"Gross."  
Soul leans down and kisses her chastely on the lips.

"I think you secretly like it."

"Definitely not."

"Your body language tells me otherwise."  
"My body hasn't done anything!"

"When you lie you look down and that's exactly what you're doing now."  
"I look down when I'm embarrassed."  
"No. You look either at your hands or kind of down and to the side."

"Damn you."  
Soul kisses her again.

"I've found my little one's deepest little secret haven't I? You hate being called bad names so I know you must feel great when people praise you."

"And your little secret is that you're a closet sadist."  
"Wouldn't you like to know?"  
Maka blushes a deep red and her eyes catch his.

They both look into each others eyes and neither move for a few moments. Maka is the first to move, though, when she presses her lips tightly to Soul's. He doesn't hesitate to kiss back and pull her body flush to his by her hips. Their lips move slow but rough against each other but with a hint of underlying tenderness.

Blair.

The damn cat.

She jumps up onto the bed and pushes herself between the couple.

Soul tries to push her away but she just rubs her head against his hand and lies down where Maka and Soul's hips meet.

Maka can't do anything else but laugh.

"I think she knows the difference between when you're loving me and when you're just trying to get in my pants."

"Correction. When _you're_ trying to get into mine. Maybe she's jealous."  
"She does seem to like you quite a bit…Blairkins, do you have a little crush on Soul?"

Maka scratches the cat's ears and she cuddles into her hand.

"We're like a little family with your damn cat."  
"Then I like our little family."

Soul pauses and looks down at Maka.

"That's not like you to say that."  
"I'm getting used to being loved and I trust you and love you too."

"That makes me happy."  
"You make me happy too."

Soul leans down and kisses Maka softly on the lips and then on the nose. He opens his mouth to say something else but is stopped by a loud banging on the front door.

"Hm. Who do you think it is?"

Maka rolls over and looks at the alarm clock.

"School's over. It'll be our friends."  
"Yeah. Sounds about right. Now, you stay in bed, I'll go see them."  
"I'm fine now to get up. I'm feeling a lot better."  
"Only if you're sure."  
"I am."  
Soul nods and the two get up together, with Blair taking vantage on Maka's shoulder.

"You're cat's so weird."  
"Yeah, I know."

Soul reaches the door and opens it up to reveal each of their friends.

"Hey guys."  
"Are you guys okay? You weren't at school so we thought that something was wrong!" Tsubaki tumbles out.

"We both got sick so we had to stay home. Thank you guys for caring." Maka smiles warmly to reassure Tsubaki and the girl smiles back.

"Are you feeling better then?"  
"Yeah, a lot."

"I'm glad."

"Do you guys want to come in?"

"Yeah, since we're here. Are you sure you're fine though?"

"Yeah, we almost came to school actually."  
Tubaki nods with a smile and her and the rest of the gang follow Soul and Maka into the apartment.

The group of seven sit around the living room and Blair hops off Maka's shoulder to acquaint herself with all the new people.

"Aw, Maka, she's so cute!" Patty coos a she pets Blair.

"She's a very affectionate cat, that's for sure."

"Maka!"

"Yeah?"  
"I'm going to need your help in Biology. Exams are coming up and I don't want to fail." Liz says.  
"We should all study together. We'll set up a few dates and make snacks and study." Maka says with a nod.  
"That sounds perfect."  
"And Tsubaki, you should come study with Soul and I for Math too."

"Yeah, I'd like that."

"I can't believe we're almost done high school." Kid says slightly awe fully,"  
"We're not quite there yet. We've got exams and then a whole other semester before we graduate."

"That isn't a whole lot of time considering we've spent four years in high school."

"I suppose you're right." Maka says sadly. "What does everyone want to do when they graduate?" She looks around at the faces of her friends.

"I plan to go to University but just DC's. I don't want to go too far." Kid starts.

"I want to start in retail. Maybe I'll take a few courses at the Uni and become a manager or something." Liz says next.

"I want to work with my sis!" Patty shouts and Liz laughs.

"I guess we'll always be stuck together then, won't we?"

"Is that a bad thing?"

"Of course not. You're my other half." Liz ruffles Patty's hair and they smile at one another.

"I want to e a hair dresser." Tsubaki say after a second of silence.

"And I'm going to be the President!"

"Of course you are, Black Star, I believe in you!" Tsubaki cheers.

"Soul, what do you want to do?"

"I don't really know yet. I always assumed I'd just go along with what my parents wanted me to do. But now…"

"You can do what you want t"  
"Exactly. I love music and playing the piano but I don't want it to be a job. As soon as it becomes that then I start to resent doing it."  
"What else might you like to do?"  
"I think I could teach and be happy."  
"That's something I could see you doing. You've already taught me so much."

"So, what do you want to do?"  
"I don't really know either. I've never thought about it."

"Think about it now."

"I will. I'll start thinking about it."  
"Good to know."

The group hangs out for a little while longer before the gang leaves and they all head back to their homes.

"Have you come up with any ideas of what you want to do?"

"It's barely been two hours."  
"I know but I could see the gears in your head turning."  
Maka smiles up at Soul. "I want to help people. I don't care how but I want to be able to help someone, anyone, and as many people as I can."  
"You'll go far."  
"No. We'll go far. Together."  
"I like the sound of that." He leans down and kisses her softly. "Now, what's on the 'Creating Chef Maka' menu tonight?"  
"You pick."  
"Spaghetti?"  
"Yeah, okay."  
They get to work in the kitchen and make dinner without any casualties then sit and eat.

They go into the living room and watch TV and movies late into the night. Neither were tired from sleeping all day so they didn't get to bed until four in the morning where they went and crashed in Maka's room with Blair on Maka's pillow.

AN/ I'm Back! Sorry I've taken so long! I'm hoping to get another chapter out this week so hopefully things go as planned.

Thank you all for your reviews of last chapter! If there's anything you want to happen let me know and I'll see if I can work it in.

Please review :) I'm a review whore and not afraid to admit so


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